For the Tega family, the production of extra virgin olive oil has always been more than a simple entrepreneurial activity: it has been a lifestyle, a tradition handed down from generation to generation. Over time, we have diligently perfected the production process, from the scrupulous selection of olive varieties to the precise moment of harvesting, carefully monitoring each phase during processing in the mill.
In 1950, Luigi Tega, nicknamed “Gigetto”, declared his ambition to produce “the best oil in the world”. Today, with the fourth generation of the Tega family, we carry forward its creative ambition through our extra virgin and flavored oils, aspiring to create harmony, a source of powerful emotions.
Our knowledge is dedicated to the creation of oils with a traditional flavor and also those with a new and original taste. Luigi Tega’s incessant creative ambition is the search for harmony as an objective in excellence. From this perspective, every milling process is subjected to rigid constraints.
We constantly strive to obtain first-rate extra virgin olive oil, selecting the best olives with dedication, facing every adversity and even giving up the production of a year if the fruit does not reach the high quality standards we set for ourselves.
There are stories that pulsate with a life of their own, transcending the boundaries of time and space, connecting people and inspiring ideas. They are stories that arise from nothing and become a reason for existence. Stories that are transformed into bricks, walls, houses. Companies.
Our values are solid and unshakeable, they constitute the foundation on which a history spanning over 80 years has been built. Respect for one’s territory, stylistic coherence, which has never winked at easy production routes, the patience and technique that the production of iconic extra virgin oils such as Lirys and Olio del Cardinale requires.
It has never been enough for us to perpetuate the same style, we have always felt the need to question ourselves. Because keeping faith with a mission means respecting what has been done and at the same time thinking about it every day, constantly experimenting to guarantee quality that meets the highest quality standards that have made us what we are today.
The process of producing a high-quality extra virgin olive oil is a commitment that extends over an entire year, aiming to obtain the perfect fruit. However, one event such as a hailstorm or incorrect harvesting is enough to compromise the entire year’s work.
It is crucial that once harvested, the olives are immediately transported and ground in the mill within 3-6 hours to avoid oxidative and fermentative processes which can drastically influence the final quality of the extra virgin oil. In the oil mill, even in less than an hour, there is a risk of ruining the whole year of care and attention dedicated to the cultivation of olives if they are pressed badly or if adequate care and attention is not paid to the pressing process.
We like meeting people, shaking hands, sharing lunches and dinners. We love to circulate ideas, combine points of view and create new ones.
Our historic 16th century oil mill, immersed in the green Menotre valley in Umbria, always welcomes you with open arms for a visit, a tasting of bruschetta with oil or a picnic among the flowering olive trees on our sunny hills.
These awards demonstrate our commitment to producing fine oils, created with the utmost care and attention.
Luigi Tega
Every great story has deep roots, which are intertwined with those of the past and go back to the origin of everything. Our story begins in our oil mill, located in Vescia, a hamlet of Folignate, downstream of the Menotre river. Over the centuries, our manufacturing process has been continually perfected.
The original mill, dating back to the 16th century, was powered by water power, thanks to a special canal dug next to the Menotre River. Even today, those who visit our oil mill can notice that our road is called “Via dei Frantoi”, in homage to the numerous oil mills and mills that once operated along the waterways coming from the Altolina mountains.
Since ancient times, the cultivation of olive trees has been widespread and appreciated for its many practical advantages. In particular in Umbria, during the winter, olive trees were pruned to obtain firewood, while the leaves, which remained on the tree even in the cold months, represented a precious nourishment for livestock.
The olive harvest took place between February and March, producing lampante oil. Already in Roman times, Columella and Virgil described olive varieties and oil, observing that a productive plant tended to be less resistant, while varieties such as Moraiolo, although less productive, were ideal for difficult and infertile terrain such as rocky walls . Moraiolo, with its shallower root system, required less water and allowed easier management of the plants.
This high quality tradition, under the control of the Papal State, produced an oil highly appreciated in Rome and by the Pope himself. The oil, characterized by bitter and spicy notes, was known as "stone oil".
In the second half of the nineteenth century, thanks to the incentives introduced by the Papal State to repopulate uncultivated areas, the surface area dedicated to olive growing was almost double what it is today. Subsequently, the number of plants progressively reduced due to the damage caused by frosts, in particular those of 1929 and 1956.
Only at the beginning of the 20th century was the oil mill modernized, switching from a mill system powered by water from the canals to one powered by electricity provided by the new hydroelectric dams. The oil mill adopted a discontinuous system, using stone millstones and hydraulic presses.
The story of the Tega family begins here, where everything originated. Our history comes to life with the birth of Luigi Tega, affectionately called Gigetto, our ancestor, oil mill operator and olive grower.
Luigi Tega "Gigetto"
During the Second World War, the oil mill played a crucial social role, supplying olive oil to the surrounding community, which was lacking in food and basic necessities. The olive tree, the true wealth of the area, allowed, thanks to the contribution of farmers, laborers and mill workers, to produce a food rich in nutritional values. This oil helped save local inhabitants from hunger and malnutrition.
Gigetto, young and unaware of his future, still doesn't imagine that he would take over the oil mill. He grows up among olive trees, seeing them every day since birth. Having only attended eighth grade, due to economic necessity, he began working as an apprentice at the local oil mill.
After the end of the war, many decide to move on and abandon a desolate country, with no apparent prospects for the future. In this context, it is Count Sorbi, the owner of the oil mill and landowner, who proposes to Gigetto to take over the business for 11 million lire. With this great economic effort, Gigetto begins to work hard, determined to give new impetus to the company and contribute to the relaunch of the area.
In an era dominated by the culture of "more is better", Luigi Tega adopts a counter-trend approach by introducing innovative techniques into olive growing. His philosophy is based on targeted pruning and the removal of unproductive branches, as well as on an oil production process based on clear principles: use of low temperatures and rapid pressing to obtain an increasingly aromatic and intense oil.
Gigetto is committed to constantly modernizing the plant, when resources allow, with the aim of producing "the best oil in the world".
Deciding to produce less might have seemed like a risky choice, but coming from a region with limited olive-growing traditions and without large estates like in the south of the country, they opted to stand out by focusing on the superior quality of the oil.
The correct management of a pressure-based extraction system was fundamental, which required careful management to avoid fermentations in the paste or in the oil-must, which could generate organoleptic defects. To prevent such problems, it was essential to keep all mechanical components clean, replace fabric linings annually or wash them with boiling water if made of steel, and use olives of consistent, high quality. This discontinuous operating methodology required a considerable amount of labor, reflected in a higher final product cost.
Gigetto, man of the oil mill, dedicated his heart and soul to the search for the best aromas and flavors for his oil, demonstrating a deep love and dedication for the product. His son, Giuseppe Tega, looked beyond regional borders and had an enlightening intuition: to create and launch the first label intended for abroad, particularly for the English market, called "Basilica".
This oil was characterized by its spicy taste derived from the first olives of the season, characterized by the typical green color that precedes complete maturation. The oil immediately gained acclaim and quickly spread in the area and neighboring regions, finally reaching the best boutiques in London and Brussels.
The company received a further boost when Luigi, named in honor of his grandfather, joined his father, Giuseppe. Together, they constantly innovated by introducing new products and always aiming for superior quality, definitively abandoning the classic stone kneaders and hydraulic presses.
They opted for a percolation extraction system known as "Sinolea", which allowed them to obtain oils rich in phenolics and with an intense aromatic profile, since the oil was separated through selective filtration at low temperatures, minimizing the use of waterfall.
The incessant desire to reinvent itself pushed the company to introduce innovations such as the first flavored oils, obtained through mechanical methods such as the co-pressing of lemons and olives or the natural infusion of spices and vegetables into extra virgin olive oil.
In an era when extra virgin olive oil was considered untouchable and the idea of flavoring it was viewed with skepticism by purists, Luigi Tega decided to challenge this established convention. Inspired by the Sorrento tradition, he created a union between lemons and olives using an innovative pressing technique, thus obtaining a cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, enriched by the scent of the peels of the best Sorrento and Sicilian lemons.
Those who aspire to great goals and work intensely to turn dreams into reality often receive rewards, and our family is no different: Luigi and Giuseppe, who grew up among spicy perfumes and sparkling bottles, decided to follow Gigetto's teachings. This choice took them away from the logic of large-scale retail trade, bringing them closer instead to handshakes, convivial lunches and customers who became friends.
While the hall, once a historic olive warehouse, filled with people from all over Italy and the world, the commitment of Luigi Tega, grandson of the founder of the same name, and the Tega family for the art of oil gained a loyal following over the years. Their extra virgin olive oil became the favorite of numerous chefs and food enthusiasts, gaining recognition in prestigious publications and winning numerous national and international awards.
Luigi, eager to experiment with something new, finds himself in a period where single-varietal wines are gaining popularity. Silvano Prompicai asks Luigi which cultivar he thinks is the best for creating an oil using a single variety of olives, and Luigi suggests Moraiolo, considering it the best among all the other varieties available.
In the second ten days of October, the harvested olives are almost all still green and unripe and are taken to the oil mill. During the extraction, under the watchful eyes of the whole family, Luigi produces his Moraiolo monocultivar oil for the first time. That green, vegetal oil, intensely fruity and rich in herbaceous notes, clearly distinguishes itself from more delicate oils: it is something unique, which brings with it the essence of a year of caring for and harvesting the olive groves.
This is how Lirys Moraiolo was born, a name suggested by a dear friend of Luigi who compared it to an extraordinary elixir.
Stories are never just positive. On September 26, 1997 at 2:33 am, a magnitude 5.7 earthquake hit central Italy along the axis of the mountain ridge of the Apennines, between Umbria and Marche. This event was followed at 11:40 by a new earthquake of magnitude 6.0, which further aggravated the situation, causing significant damage to the city of Foligno and to the Tega family's house, located right above the oil mill.
Despite this, thanks to its robust structure, the oil mill managed to resist, repeating the miracle of its integrity during the bombings of the Second World War.
There are jobs that require care, and what requires care takes time. During the post-earthquake reconstruction, Luigi did not limit himself to simply repairing the house, but invested significantly in renovating the oil mill. With great sacrifice, he also reluctantly sold some olive-growing land that had belonged to the family for generations to finance the reconstruction. This opportunity not only allowed us to rebuild, but gave new impetus to an activity rooted in that place for four centuries.
In 2001, Luigi Tega inaugurated a new era for the oil mill, introducing a modern continuous extraction system via centrifugation. This system not only aimed to keep the quality of the oil high, but also to increase production capacity and improve attention to detail in all extraction processes.
The mill adopted a two-and-a-half-phase system with minimal water addition, optimized to facilitate oil extraction and minimize the loss of phenolic substances.
The oil mill, without stopping even for a year during reconstruction, resumed its momentum with renewed strength. The ancient millstones were replaced by modern malaxers, a symbol of the progress that was being made. In this context, media and food and wine attention increasingly focused on the quality of extra virgin olive oil, recognizing its nutraceutical and gastronomic qualities.
Failing can be hard, but not trying at all is even worse: in this world, nothing is achieved without effort. Experiments with new cultivars and flavored oils can lead to unpredictable and sometimes extraordinary results. Our flavored EVO oils represent a new approach, no longer based on synthetic aromas, but on natural ingredients, categorically avoiding defective EVO oils as a base. Our philosophy is to create deep, organic and authentic flavored oils, which return to the origins and explore the essence of oil: a practical condiment that enriches the gastronomic experience on every dish.
In 2024, the oil mill embodies serene and austere beauty, imbued with the spiritual legacy that continues to inspire Luigi Tega in his creative vision. His constant search for perfection and the scrupulous selection of the best varieties of olives and raw materials are reflected in an unparalleled oil, characterized by impeccable qualities and an unmistakable flavour. Always oriented towards innovation, Luigi Tega is committed to satisfying lovers of good food, offering a product that never ceases to exceed expectations.
