LA FAVOLA DELLA MIGNOLA DI MAURA GRIMALDI-L’OLIVETO DI MOZART

Established on June 1, 2020, the Azienda Agricola is owned by Maura Grimaldi, yet all the operations (farming and marketing) are carried out by her husband, Nino Trifiletti, the former owner for 5 years of the “La Favola della Mignola” azienda.

3 plots – the first one includes 80 plants and is close to the owner’s dwelling; the second (2,400 square meters, 90 plants) borders the first. Abandoned for years, overgrown with scrubs it has been revitalized by heavy cleaning and pruning.

The third one represents the main production lot, 600 plants, 90% Lavagnina cultivar.

The land was purchased by Nino’s friend Giorgio, who followed him for forty years. He then left it to those who love it. Therefore, after professional pruning, Giorgio transmitted all his knowledge to Nino. This gives way to top-quality extra virgin oil, which also benefits from the position of the olive grove (100% southern orientation) and its fertility. An average 1,500 litres yearly yield, plus 500 litres from the other two plots.

The name “La Favola della Mignola Oliveto di Mozart” has an interesting meaning.

“La Favola Della Mignola” relates to Nino Trifiletti’s former business.

“Oliveto di Mozart” is linked to the fact that trees in the biggest olive grove listen to Mozart symphonies 8 hours a day.

Nino narrates: “La Favola della Mignola” confirms my wish to thank all those who supported me in this life choice: my wife Maura, my daughter Valeria, my son Paolo with my grandchildren Fabrizio and Lorenzo, my daughter-in-law Eleonora, my mother Maria, my in-laws Maria and Geremino, my grandchildren Elisa and Davide and my future son-in-law Dario.

As for the favola (i.e., fairy-tale): once upon a time ago Athena (Minerva) challenged Poseidon (Neptune) in the conquest of Attica (whose capital is Athens). In order to avoid quarrels, they decided that the other gods would decide, so that the possession of Attica would be the prize for the one who succeeded in giving the most useful gift to its inhabitants; Poseidon with a blow of his trident created the first horse; Athena with her spear struck the ground and a new plant grew, the olive tree, with silver leaves and small bunches of blossoms (i.e., the Mignola), the gift that was preferred by the area’s dwellers. One of those bunches, however, said to Athena: “beautiful tree, but maybe you could create something even more beautiful, a tree useful to man and a symbol of peace”. Athena replied: “you are right, you will become a bunch of flowers with a pistil (female organ) and two stamens (male organ) that will produce fine pollen. Carried by the wind, it will fertilize another mignola and generate the fruit (the drupe).