La Fonte

The name “La Fonte” refers to the nearby natural springs and thermal waters of the Vulci area, a landscape where agriculture and nature have coexisted for centuries. This connection to place is reflected in the oil’s fresh and authentic character.

This blend brings together several traditional olive varieties from the estate’s groves, resulting in an oil of medium intensity and harmonious character. In the glass it shows a bright green hue with golden reflections and releases a complex aromatic profile reminiscent of freshly cut grass, green olive, and Mediterranean herbs.

La Fonte is particularly suitable for daily Mediterranean cuisine. It pairs beautifully with grilled vegetables, salads, legumes, roasted fish, white meats, and bruschetta, and is excellent as a finishing oil that highlights the natural flavors of simple dishes.

On the palate, La Fonte is fresh, lively, and well balanced, revealing notes of artichoke, green almond, wild herbs, and leafy vegetables. The bitterness and spiciness are present but refined, creating a pleasant structure that enhances rather than dominates the flavor. The finish is clean and persistent, leaving delicate herbal and vegetal impressions.

In the northern part of Lazio, close to the border with Tuscany, lies Canino — a small town surrounded by olive groves and shaped by the ancient volcanic landscape of the Viterbo area. This is the home of Il Vulcino, an organic farm where agriculture, gastronomy and music come together in a particularly personal way. The estate is located near the natural monument of Lago di Vulci and Torre Crognola, in a landscape deeply connected to the Etruscan history of this part of Italy.

At the heart of Il Vulcino is Eugénie , a classical musician and sommelier. Together with her husband Silviu and a young team, she has given new life to an old agricultural property, with particular attention to its centuries-old olive groves and to organic farming. Her background in music is more than just part of the family story: it has become one of the defining elements of the estate itself. The olive trees are accompanied by the music of composers such as Mozart and Bach!

The local protagonist is Caninese, an olive variety deeply rooted in this corner of Lazio. Il Vulcino works with Caninese both on its own and together with varieties such as Frantoio. Its Saecula oil, produced from old olive groves, is centred on Caninese and expresses the more powerful side of the variety, with intense green aromas, notes reminiscent of artichoke and leafy vegetables, and a pronounced bitterness and peppery finish. Principe, the estate’s traditional blend of Caninese and Frantoio, has a somewhat more rounded character, combining fresh vegetal notes with aromatic herbs and almond.

The farm works organically and produces considerably more than olive oil. Black garlic, almonds, grains, asparagus and fruit are also part of its agricultural world, reflecting an approach based on biodiversity rather than a single crop.

Over the years, the oils have gained recognition well beyond Lazio. Slow Food awarded Il Vulcino's oils its Grande Olio distinction in its 2021 guide, while Gambero Rosso included Principe Bio among Lazio's Tre Foglie oils in 2022. The estate also reports gold awards in New York, Tokyo and Amsterdam in 2022, while both Saecula and Principe have been selected by the specialist publication Merum.

To learn more about the philosophy of Vulcino read our journal feature:

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