When Land Shapes Flavor: Vulcino, Volcanic Soil and Olive Oil

An agricultural estate in Lazio shaped by volcanic soils, early harvests, and the quiet influence of classical music.

Vulcino is a small agricultural estate in northern Lazio, in the province of Viterbo, set between the volcanic lake of Bolsena and the Tyrrhenian coast. Here, ancient olive trees grow on mineral-rich soils shaped by volcanic activity, tended without intensive farming and guided by a philosophy rooted in harmony, simplicity, and respect for nature. The estate produces a focused range of organic foods, with olive oil at its heart.

Origins & History

The story of Vulcino begins with Eugénie and Silvio, a couple who decided - at a stage of life when many slow down - to begin something entirely new. Living in Rome, they discovered land near Vulci, close to the archaeological park and nature reserve, and were drawn to its quiet strength: open fields, abundant water, and a landscape deeply marked by history. What started as a personal dream soon became a working agricultural estate, shaped by patience, curiosity, and a desire to produce food of genuine integrity.

The Land & Terroir

Vulcino’s olive groves cover around 15 hectares, home to approximately 2,000 secular olive trees growing at about 200 meters above sea level. The soil is volcanic, naturally rich in minerals, and the spacing of the trees allows generous airflow and sunlight. This environment supports healthy trees and olives with pronounced character. The wider estate extends to roughly 30 hectares near the Vulci National Park, with its own water sources, including a thermal spring that nourishes other crops.

Philosophy & Way of Working

At Vulcino, organic farming is understood not as a label but as a responsibility. It means caring for the health of people, plants, animals, and the surrounding environment, even when this choice involves higher costs and greater risk. The guiding idea is simple: work with nature rather than against it, and accept slower rhythms in exchange for balance and longevity.

Craft & Production Approach

The olive harvest begins early, in October, to preserve freshness and aromatic clarity. Olives are milled within four hours of picking using the estate’s own MORI two-phase system. Extraction takes place below 23 °C, followed by careful storage at a constant 16 °C. This precise, restrained approach results in oils with remarkable stability and a naturally high polyphenol content, exceeding 600 mg/kg.

Vulcino Music — Where Art Meets Agriculture

Eugénie is the artistic soul of Vulcino. Born in the Netherlands to a diplomat’s family, she grew up across several countries, speaks five languages, and pursued a career as a classical musician. 

Her reading of Masaru Emoto’s work brought together her interests in music, nature, and food, inspiring experiments with sound vibrations and their effects on plants and liquids. Today, Vulcino’s olive groves and oil cellars resonate with the music of Mozart, Bach, and Vivaldi—an ongoing exploration known as Vulcino Music, where agriculture and art quietly intersect: one can truly listen to the music playing in the orchard by simply scanning the QR code on the olive oil bottles. 

Products & Specialties

At the core of Vulcino’s production are its extra virgin olive oils, the most direct expression of the estate’s land and philosophy. Two oils form the foundation: a monocultivar, focused and precise, and a carefully balanced blend, combining structure and harmony. Both are defined by early harvest, volcanic soils, and a restrained extraction approach that preserves freshness, clarity, and naturally high polyphenol levels.

Building on this foundation, Vulcino has developed a small selection of infused olive oils, where the estate’s extra virgin olive oil is gently combined with natural ingredients such as basil, chili, lemon, and truffle. These oils are conceived as culinary tools rather than aromatized novelties, designed to complement food while maintaining the integrity of the base oil.

Beyond olive oil, the estate cultivates a diverse range of organic crops, including black garlic, almonds, hazelnuts, peaches, and asparagus. Recent additions extend this approach into prepared foods, such as a balsamic-style BBQ sauce made with black garlic, mustard, and grape must, reflecting the same focus on raw materials and careful processing.

Our collaboration

Tresmundi’s relationship with Vulcino began in 2022 at a small food exhibition in Hamburg. Vulcino was the only Italian olive oil producer present, represented by Eugénie and Vittorio. When Alex, one of Tresmundi’s founders, asked to taste the oils properly, tasting glasses were quietly produced from under the counter. The oils—Saecula first, then Principe—were evaluated using strippaggio. The resulting cough, a hallmark of high-polyphenol oils, brought a moment of smiles, joy and shared recognition. Among thousands of visitors, this was the only tasting conducted in this way that day. A conversation about values followed, and the collaboration was agreed on the spot.

Recognition

Vulcino’s olive oils have received consistent international recognition, confirming the estate’s focus on precision, freshness, and varietal expression.

• Merum Guide 2023 – Two Hearts (❤️❤️) / Zwei Herzen (❤️❤️)
  Selected among Italy’s outstanding extra virgin olive oils in the Merum Guide 2023, a respected German-language publication dedicated to Italian olive oil. The guide highlights oils of exceptional quality through blind tastings conducted by experienced professionals.
• New York International Olive Oil Competition 2022 – Gold Medal / Goldmedaille
  Awarded Gold at the NYIOOC, one of the world’s largest and most influential olive oil competitions, with over 1,000 entries from more than 30 countries. Oils are evaluated through blind tastings by an international jury and listed in the Official Guide to the World’s Best Olive Oils.
• Japan Olive Oil Prize 2022 – Gold Medal / Goldmedaille
  Recognized with Gold at the Japan Olive Oil Prize in Tokyo, an international competition that rewards extra virgin olive oils demonstrating quality, purity, and clear production identity through panel-based blind tastings.
• Gambero Rosso Olive Oil Guide 2022 – Three Leaves (Tre Foglie) / Drei Blätter (Tre Foglie)
  The olive oil Principe was awarded the highest distinction of Three Leaves in the Gambero Rosso Olive Oil Guide, one of Italy’s most authoritative references for extra virgin olive oil.

Vulcino is not driven by scale or speed, but by coherence. From volcanic soil to musical resonance, from early harvest to quiet storage, each decision reflects a belief in balance and intention. It is a place where agriculture, culture, and craftsmanship meet—naturally aligned with Tresmundi’s way of thinking.

Discover the products from Vulcino