Ad Olivola L Evo Wine Day 472a15346ec69d843aeb34cf3e4ca18e

The third edition of Evo-Wine Day, the Municipality of Olivola's flagship event entirely dedicated to Monferrato extra virgin olive oil paired with wine and food, is coming to spring. Launched in November 2024 with the support of the Cassa di Risparmio di Alessandria Foundation and Cosmo, the event will depart from the autumn calendar for the first time. Instead, it will embrace the spring weather and fully unveil its program on Sunday, May 3rd and Monday, May 4th, with a format that's both new and updated. Among the new features of this new edition: the geological characterization of the olive groves (a first at the national level) by geologist Alfredo Frixa, the addition of a Monday masterclass reserved for the hotel, restaurant, and catering sector and journalists, the awarding of the De.Co. designation to the olive groves, and the presentation of the "Friend of Monferrato EVO Oil" award. Throughout Sunday, Piazza Europa will be decked out in festive style with exhibitors selling olive oil, agricultural, and wine products, as well as artisanal products, promoting the short supply chain and local excellence. In the morning (at 11:30 a.m.), in the presence of food and wine critic Paolo Massobrio, Mayor Gianmanuele Grossi will award the De.Co. (Municipal Denomination) designations to the olive groves within the municipality, and the "Friend of Monferrato EVO Oil" award (a Pietra da Cantoni piece designed by Gianmaria Sabatini) to a person who has particularly distinguished themselves in promoting and showcasing it. Also in the morning (at 10 a.m.), a guided tour led by Anna Maria Bruno will take you through the olive groves, wineries, and scenic beauty of the Monferrato village, including a small tasting at the cellar. At 12:00 p.m., in collaboration with the sommeliers of AIS Casale Monferrato, a Masterclass will be held at Villa Guazzo Candiani, featuring a blind tasting of Monferrato extra virgin olive oil paired with wine and food. A new addition to this edition will be the presence of a guest extra virgin olive oil, allowing visitors to compare and contrast their identities and differences from an organoleptic perspective. Starting at 5:00 p.m., a peasant snack (merenda sinoria) will be served in the square or at the viewpoint of the Church of San Pietro. Leading the day's Masterclass, reserved for industry professionals, will be held for the first time at the enchanting Relais Le Libellule, with food provided by the La Magione restaurant. Master taster and ONAV instructor and olive oil sommelier Luigi Ronchetti will lead the class. "Moving the event forward to May will allow food-loving tourists to appreciate the Monferrato landscape in its evocative nascent dimension," explains Mayor Grossi. "As the first City of Olive Oil in Piedmont, we are also pleased that the event has been included in the regional calendar of trade fairs, in recognition of the quality of the project, the first of its kind in Monferrato. The geological characterization of the olive groves will be the first national example." After Milan, this year's launch will take place on Friday, April 24th, at the AIS headquarters in Turin in collaboration with ASSPÒ (Piedmontese Olive Growers' Association), whose president is Valentino Veglio from Monferrato.