Moraiolo
also called Assisano, Morello, Morellino, FoscoThe hillside variety of central Italy: low-growing, upright, drought-tolerant and distinctly cold-sensitive — a combination that keeps it in the Umbrian and Tuscan hills and out of the flat coastal plantings. Its oil sits at the opposite end of the intensity scale from Leccino.
| Also called | Assisano, Morello, Morellino, Fosco |
|---|---|
| Main regions | Umbria, Tuscany, Marche |
| Purpose | Oil |
| Oleic acid | ~75% |
| Harvest | Mid-October to mid-December |
| Tolerances | Drought tolerant, highly cold-sensitive |
| Watch out for | Peacock spot, olive knot, Verticillium |
In the grove
Aroma and flavour descriptors
- 1Green olive
- 2Artichoke
- 3Bitter herbs
- 4Almond
Published panel work groups Moraiolo high on fruitiness, bitterness and pungency but reports statistical groupings rather than medians. Our panel has not scored this cultivar.
Ordered by how often each recurs in the published varietal literature, not by measured intensity. Our panel has not scored a monovarietal Moraiolo oil, and no sensory panel data for it is published. 40 of the 40 varieties here read the same way.
Moraiolo oils in the library
From 5 producers
Moraiolo against the other Italy varieties
| Variety | Origin region | Used for | Polyphenols | Shelf stability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coratina | Corato, Bari, Puglia | Oil | 330–410 mg/kg | 29.5 h Rancimat at 110 °C — highest of eleven cultivars tested |
| Frantoio | Tuscany | Oil | ~230 mg/kg | Not published |
| Leccino | Tuscany | Oil | ~150 mg/kg | Low — 17.5 h Rancimat at 110 °C |
| Moraiolo | Tuscany and Umbria | Oil | ~270 mg/kg | Not published |
| Taggiasca | Taggia, Imperia, Liguria | Dual-purpose | Low (no measured range published) | Not published |
| Casaliva | Lake Garda — Trentino, Brescia, Verona | Oil | 110–200 mg/kg | Not published |
| Nocellara del Belice | Valle del Belìce, Sicily | Dual-purpose | ~330 mg/kg mean | Not published |
| Tonda Iblea | Monti Iblei, Ragusa and Siracusa, Sicily | Dual-purpose | ~285 mg/kg mean | Not published |
| Itrana | Itri, Latina, Lazio | Dual-purpose | ~381 mg/kg mean | Not published |
| Peranzana | Alto Tavoliere, Foggia, Puglia | Dual-purpose | ~396 mg/kg mean | Not published |
| Bosana | Sardinia | Oil | ~415 mg/kg mean | Not published |
Sources
- Regione Umbria regional variety register — Moraiolo
- Eleven monovarietal EVOOs grown and processed alike, Foods 9(7):904
Every figure on this page carries a source. Where we could not find one we say so rather than estimating. Corrections are welcome and credited.