The Garda DOP region is split into three geographically based areas. There is the Bresciano or Occidentale area in Lombardy on the lower west side of the lake. This is a pretty region with relatively low hills over-looking the widest part of the lake. Tourism is important here with the resorts of Salo, Sirmione and Desenzano.

On the opposite side of the lake in the Veneto is the Garda Orientale region. Here the land is much higher and steeper as the hills fall directly down to the lake. Some groves are set on the lake side, others are higher up in the hinterland. It is much quieter here and less developed. Some of the producers on in the Orientale area also press olives from the Veneto Valpolicella DOP region which must include local Grignan olives. The third area is the Nord region, set on both shores at the head of the lake in the Trentino. Here again the terrain is steep and fairly rugged.

One of the interesting things about the region is the prevalence of olives which are not found elsewhere. The most important of these is the Casaliva olive and in the Garda Orientale region it must account for at least 55% of the base olives. In fact DNA testing has revealed that the Casaliva has developed from Frantoio olive trees brought from Tuscany in the days when there were no nurseries in the area. However, over time, Casaliva has become a different and distinct variety. Nevertheless Frantoio is allowed to count as Casaliva for purposes of the local Garda Besciano DOP regulations.

Another local variety, Less, was thought to have developed in the same way from Tuscan Leccino olives. However, the DNA investigation here showed that it was quite a different variety. Other local varieties include Trepp, Grignan and Negrel. A certain amount of Frantoio, Leccino and Pendolino is also grown.

Some of the local varieties like Trepp grow into large, tall trees and are difficult to harvest and to prune. They also live to quite an age. An interesting place to visit is the “Uliveto di San Vigilio” in the Parco Baia delle Sirene just south of the village of Garda. Here there are some very large examples and some very old trees. One is said to be 700 years old.

All growers here are relatively small. Anything from four hundred to a thousand trees is the norm. There are just a handful of growers with 10,000 or more trees.Producers vary; some grow their own olives and press on the estate, other send their olives to local mills. Increasingly the latter are planning to install their own machinery so that they have full control over the whole process from planting to bottling. Local red tape is the main stumbling block here. Other mills press for all and some buy in the best olives to add to their own olives to produce a branded oil.

2007 has been a mixed year for olive oil in the region. Very hot weather in the summer and a heavy infestation of the olive fly have caused problems and one producer told me that the first ten days of the general harvest were extremely bad. However, as the harvest continued quality improved and the oils should be reasonable this year. Some of the smaller producers on higher ground avoided the problem altogether. They also picked early before the mid-November rains and they have some excellent oils to offer.

It is always difficult to generalise about the flavours in a region – there are always exceptions that negate whatever one says. However, the oils I tasted from the new harvest were generally medium in style with well balanced bitterness and pepper. Some offered really aromatic herbaceous flavour tones with a clipped hedge, dry grass and mixed culinary herb character. Others, probably with a higher percentage of Casaliva in the mix, offered more nutty tones sometimes with some chocolate, hay and fudge.

In conclusion, I think this is a region which deserves to gain more attention in the market place.