Field Notes from Paciano, Umbria

The final bottles of our 2025 extra virgin olive oil harvest are now making their way into kitchens. At the same time, a new season is beginning in the hills of Umbria.

These photos were taken recently in the olive groves around Paciano. They are in the Trasimeno region of Umbria. Our olives grow there under the care of our dear friend and grower, Stijn Taillieu.

At first glance the trees still look calm. The branches are bare. Winter pruning has finished. The landscape still carries the muted colors of early spring in central Italy.

But inside the tree, the biological cycle has already restarted.

March marks the beginning of what olive growers call the vegetative restart phase. This is when the olive tree wakes up from winter dormancy and begins preparing for the next olive harvest.

The Olive Tree’s Winter Reset

Olive trees are highly adapted to Mediterranean climates.

Unlike some fruit trees, olives do not need extremely cold winters. However, they do require a period of winter rest to reset their biological cycle.

During winter several important processes occur inside the tree:

• Metabolic activity slows
• Energy reserves accumulate in roots and wood
• Dormant buds reset for the next growing season
• The tree stores carbohydrates for spring growth

This resting phase is critical for the olive tree growth cycle. Without proper winter dormancy, flowering and fruit development become irregular.

As temperatures rise in early spring, the dormant buds slowly begin to reactivate. That process is happening right now in the olive groves of Paciano.

Bud Development: Where the Next Olive Harvest Begins

Walk through an olive grove in March and you will see small buds swelling along the branches.

These are known as axillary buds. They are the starting point of the next olive crop.

Each bud has two possible outcomes.

It can become:

• a vegetative shoot, producing new leaves and branches
• a reproductive shoot, producing olive flowers

This stage is known as flower induction and differentiation.

Interestingly, many signals that determine whether a bud becomes a flower begin forming during the previous growing season.

That means the conditions of 2025 already influence the 2026 olive harvest.

Olive trees work on long biological timelines

Weather in Paciano, Umbria This Week

The last week in Paciano, Umbria has brought typical early spring weather to the Trasimeno hills.

Daytime temperatures have ranged between 10–14°C (50–57°F). Night temperatures dropped to around 4–7°C (39–45°F). Several rain systems also passed through the region.

For olive growers, these conditions are ideal.

Winter and early spring rain are essential in Mediterranean olive regions. Rainfall helps recharge deep soil moisture that olive trees depend on during the dry summer months.

So far the region has seen:

• cool temperatures
• steady rainfall
• no severe frost

This combination supports healthy bud development and balanced early growth.

Looking ahead, forecasts show similar conditions. Temperatures should remain between 8–13°C (46–55°F) with occasional showers across central Italy.

Gradual warming like this allows olive trees to move slowly through the vegetative restart phase without triggering early flowering.

For olive growers, that is exactly what we want.

Polyphenols in the 2025 Olive Oil Harvest

Our 2025 extra virgin olive oil harvest tested at 375 mg/kg of polyphenols.

Polyphenols are natural antioxidant compounds in fresh olive oil. Important examples include:

• oleocanthal
• hydroxytyrosol
• oleuropein derivatives

These molecules contribute to several qualities of high-quality olive oil:

• the peppery sensation in the throat
• the pleasant bitterness of fresh oil
• many health benefits linked to the Mediterranean diet

In many Mediterranean homes, people take a spoonful of olive oil every day, either straight or over food.

The best way to enjoy fresh olive oil is simply to use it often.

Once opened, a bottle is best consumed within 10–12 weeks to preserve its aromas and flavors

The Final Bottles of the 2025 Olive Oil Harvest

While the trees in Umbria begin preparing the next harvest, we are reaching the end of the current vintage.

Only a handful bottles remain from the fantastic 2025 harvest.

Once they are gone, that vintage will be finished.

The olive trees are already working on the olives. These olives will become the next pressing later this year. However, the 2026 oil will not arrive until after the autumn harvest.

Until then, we hope you enjoy this season’s oil.

Ricardo & Stijn
SOLO OLIVES