FrantOlio

FrantOlio: Twenty years of Peligna olive oil excellence

FrantOlio is the food and wine competition that has been celebrating and awarding the best extra virgin olive oil of the Peligna Valley, in the heart of the province of L'Aquila, Abruzzo, since 2006. Founded by agronomist Valeria Zema with the support of the former Peligna Mountain Community, the event is organized by the Rustica e Gentile Association, chaired by Franco Volpe, in collaboration with the Serpieri Agricultural Institute of Pratola Peligna.

A traveling event through Peligna villages

FrantOlio has no fixed home: each edition is hosted by a different municipality in the Peligna district to showcase a specific territory and its olive-growing tradition. In 2026, the 20th edition returned to Vittorito, a village awarded the City of Oil title, which hosted the event for the third time. The ceremony took place on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the "Maestra Caterina De Benedictis" primary school on Via di Fuori.

The competition and native cultivars

The heart of the event is the quality competition that pits dozens of oils produced in the territory against one another. The samples are obtained mainly from the native Rustica and Gentile dell'Aquila cultivars, the symbolic varieties of the valley's mountain olive growing. A panel of tasters led by the Abruzzo Region's panel manager evaluates the oils blindly, declaring the winners and awarding special mentions. The 2026 edition featured 74 samples, an increase over the previous year.

An opportunity for culture and territory

Beyond the competition, FrantOlio is a moment for reflection on the future of Peligna olive growing: the preservation of historic olive groves, supply chain sustainability, and the path toward the PGI (IGP) recognition for Abruzzo oil. The day includes greetings from municipal and regional authorities, speeches by technicians and agronomists, awards for the event's historic protagonists, and dedicated exhibitions. The event involves producers, institutions, schools, and enthusiasts, confirming its role as an identity-defining pillar for the Peligna Valley and the entire Abruzzo Region.

Vittorito, City of Oil

Located at the foot of Monte Rotondo, between Sulmona and Popoli, the Municipality of Vittorito boasts a long olive-growing tradition that earned it entry into the National Association of Cities of Oil. For the village, hosting FrantOlio means renewing the bond between the community, the agricultural landscape, and quality production, in an exceptional natural setting on the edge of the Majella National Park.