A LITTLE HISTORY OF OUR FARM
If you travel 50 miles north of Rome to the hills alongside Lago Di Bolsena, you will find the sanctuary to our lovingly nurtured olive trees. The Res Antiqva estate lies on the northern shore of Lake Bolsena in the Tuscia area which marks the natural border between Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio regions.
Lake Bolsena was formed more than 300,000 years ago, in the ancient crater of a volcano from the Volsini mountain chain. Lake Bolsena is known as the largest volcanic lake in Europe, and it is famed for the purity and exceptional mineral richness of its waters. In fact, the fishermen of the region have a saying, “the lake you can drink.”
Lake Bolsena has been described by the German poet Goethe, English painter Turner, and French musician Berlioz as “a delicious Eden.” Today, this spectacular oasis still offers visitors from all around the globe its uncontaminated natural environment.
On the Res Antiqva property stands the Rentica House where the Arte Povera movement was born at the turn of the 20th century. Under the guidance of Roman gallerist Plinio de Martiis, it was transformed into the serendipitous location where two generations of artists, among which Mimmo Rotella, Willem de Kooning, Karsten Greve, Luciano Pistoi, Lucio Amelio, Mario Schifano, Leo Castelli and Jannis Kounellis, gathered to create groundbreaking works of art.
WHO WE ARE
As members of the founding family of Bottega Veneta, we are unified by a deep connection to Italian culture and lifestyle. Our farm embodies this connection and is a sanctuary for our family, our olive trees and our honeybees. We are humbled by our farm’s natural gifts and are proud to use time-tested processes to preserve them.
Our company is 100% women owned and family managed.
The mission at Res Antiqva, latin for “the old way of doing things,” is to honor the traditions and passions of Italy, while still focusing on what matters most: Quality.
We are excited to share this way, and this brand, with you.
With love, the Res Antiqva Family
The Farm House
OUR OIL
Our oil is 100% Italian extra virgin and EU certified organic. To guarantee pristine taste and preservation of antioxidant properties, our olives are harvested manually. They are treated with rigorous care and transported to the press immediately after the harvest where the olives are submitted to the traditional cold press extraction method. We choose not to filter our oil to give the fullest experience down to every last taste and flavor. The olives grown at Res Antiqva are of the Canino, Frantoio, Moraiolo and Leccino variety.
Res Antiqva’s characteristic brilliant green color is preserved thanks to the temperature-controlled extraction process which prevents the alteration of naturally present chlorophyll and oxidation of polyphenols. The extraordinary richness of these phenolic structures, combined with the unique physical, biological and chemical characteristics of our oil is the final result of this entirely natural process.
Tasting Notes
Our oil is floral and fruity with scents of freshly-cut grass, buttery with traces of almond, and a pleasant peppery sensation.
OUR BOTTLE
Our bottle was inspired by classical imagery of precious perfumes and liquors
derived from medicinal herbs cultivated and distilled by 15th century monks. Bolsena has a long history under the tutelage of the Church and is traversed by the Via Francigena, a
pilgrimage trail over 1600 kilometers long that spans from Canterbury to Rome.
To optimally preserve all the qualities of our oil, we have chosen a dark antique
green glass, reputed for its ability to protect and conserve the oil from
temperature and light damage.
