Marco Oreggia is probably the most skilled and famous extra-virgin olive oil critic in the world and with his Flos Olei project he has created an unmatched informational initiative for quality EVOO.
I have known Marco Oreggia since the latter half of the 1980s when, with his father Gabriele, a chef of great sensibility, he ran the Girone VI restaurant, near the Pantheon in Rome. We then worked together for years at Gambero Rosso, where he focused on wine but already took his first steps in the world of EVOO, which would then become the fundamental focus of his activity.
Today, Marco is with all probability the most skilled and famous EVOO critic in the world. Every year, his Flos Olei guide selects products from countries around the world that are engaged in olive growing, making his the most complete and authoritative international publication that exists on the subject. This is something Italy can be proud of and is a demonstration that competence, sincerity and hard work can achieve such results.
Marco is currently completing his collection of samples to be evaluated – through an international contest – for his 2024 guide, as he has announced on his Flos Olei website (https://www.flosolei.com) which I think you should all take a look at. He is also present on social media, on the Telegram channel, Flos Olei Point and Flos Olei Tour and, obviously, in print form, with an important guide to orient oneself in the world of top quality EVOO production. This is because Marco is inflexible and his opinions are absolutely reliable.
EVOO is quickly becoming a product that is following the path blazed by quality wine in recent decades and it is easy to predict that it will be the next leading top quality food product, perhaps even in those countries where, for religious reasons, alcohol is not consumed. The work being done by Marco and his team at Flos Olei will thus always be more useful.