Mediterranean Flair in the Alps

As early as Roman times, olive trees flourished in the milder areas of South Tyrol. However, the Little Ice Age of the 16th and 17th centuries nearly wiped out this Mediterranean plant. In recent decades, olive trees have experienced a revival – as symbols of Mediterranean flair, adorning private gardens, vineyard edges, and small olive groves like those in Margreid/Magrè and Kurtatsch.

In 2009, the local Kurtatsch chapter of the South Tyrolean Farmers’ Association launched the project “Kurtatscher Olivenöl” ("Olive Oil from Kurtatsch").
Olive tree owners in the region could deliver their harvest – no matter how small – to the Kurtatsch winery. In the first year, 179 kilograms of olives were collected and processed into 26 kilograms of high-quality, grass-green olive oil at the modern mill in Riva del Garda. The oil amazed everyone with its fresh, piquant flavor and notes of freshly cut grass.

Today, olive oil from South Tyrol’s South stands for quality and innovation. It impresses at tastings and even surprises experts – who would have thought that South Tyrol could produce exceptional olive oil?


The Success Story of Kurtatsch Olive Oil
The enthusiasm for olive trees quickly spread in and around Kurtatsch. Neglected trees were professionally pruned, many young olive trees were planted, and interest in cultivation grew. With the support of the “Edmund Mach” experimental center in San Michele (TN), the local Kurtatsch Farmers’ Association organizes pruning courses that have helped many “olive farmers” achieve surprising yields. One decades-old tree, for example, produced an impressive 90 kilograms of olives – a regional record.

Thanks to these efforts, the project’s quantities grew rapidly. By the 10th harvest in 2018, an impressive 5300 kilograms of olives were collected from 169 enthusiastic “olive farmers.”


Kurtatsch’s Green Gold: Community, Quality, and Passion
At the end of the harvest, each participant receives their share of olive oil, lovingly bottled in small containers. A portion is reserved by the organizers for tastings, gifts, or special occasions. Processing and bottling costs are shared among the “olive farmers.”

Harvest quantities vary greatly from year to year. In 2019, only 800 kilograms of olives were collected due to weather and pests, while in 2020, the harvest reached 4700 kilograms. Yields range between 10% and 15%, depending on factors such as weather, pests, and the growers’ expertise. Since 2019, the harvest period has been moved to late October to ensure peak ripeness. The “Frantoio” variety is now the preferred choice due to its suitability for the project’s needs and extended harvest window.

The “Kurtatscher Olivenöl” project embodies South Tyrol’s cooperative spirit: alone, we would have nothing – together, we have our “green gold” every year.

Yet, this extraordinary oil remains a rare treasure. It isn’t available for purchase, but if you know one of the dedicated “olive farmers,” you might, with patience and persuasion, get a chance to taste it!