Erroneously it is thought that Piedmont is a land that is not very good for olive growing. In fact, materials traces, such as the stone mill to break the olives, still preserved in the park of the castle of Pino d'Asti, and historical testimonies of its presence in many places, such as Olivola and San Marzano Oliveto in the Monferrato area, where in the Middle Ages olive oil production was very widespread.
With the climate cooling in the 14th century, this activity was abandoned. Only since the nineties of the '900, many Piedmonts’ growers have rediscovered the cultivation of this plant. The excellent results have inspired almost three hundred olive growers in the Alessandria area alone.
Currently, the most intensely cultivated areas in Piedmont are the Monferrato and the Canavese, while the most widespread varieties of trees are Leccino, Frantoio and Pendolino.
