Marfuga: extra virgin olive oil from Umbria

June 18, 2026

Behind a great olive oil there is almost always a family and a territory. At Marfuga, it's a story that has lasted more than two centuries, on the hills of Umbria, between Spoleto and Trevi. Discover the producer behind one of our most loved Italian extra virgin olive oils.

A family of olive growers since 1817

In Campello sul Clitunno, in the heart of Umbria, the Gradassi family has grown olives for five generations. The tradition is documented as early as 1817: back then, the oil from the family groves was already sold within these walls. Over time, each generation passed the craft on to the next, right up to Francesco Gradassi, who today runs the Azienda Agraria Marfuga.

The real turning point comes in the 1990s: Francesco and his wife Federica turn the family know-how into a true brand, and make Marfuga oil known in the finest delicatessens of Italy and then internationally. Yet the house stays faithful to its starting point: one land, one family, one product.

The "extreme oils" of Umbria

Francesco likes to talk about oli estremi, "extreme oils". The expression describes oils born of difficult terrain: small plots wrested from the mountain, the rock and the woods, in areas that are sometimes barely accessible. This demanding choice has a price — low yields, sometimes only a few thousand bottles — but it's precisely what gives the oil its character and rarity.

The groves stretch over some forty hectares between Campello sul Clitunno, Spoleto and Trevi, for about 16,000 olive trees. A landscape of hills, springs and medieval castles, where the olive tree has been part of the region's identity since Etruscan times.

Moraiolo, frantoio, leccino: the Umbrian character

An oil's profile comes first from its olive varieties. Marfuga works the typical varieties of Umbria — moraiolo, frantoio and leccino — which give an oil with a clean olive taste, herbaceous, with characteristic notes of artichoke and fresh almond, and that slightly pungent bitterness on the finish that marks the great extra virgins.

Among the house's emblematic references: the DOP Umbria Colli Assisi-Spoleto oil and L'Affiorante, a single-varietal moraiolo. Two ways of expressing the same terroir, one balanced and structured, the other more intense and distinctive.

PDO, organic and international recognition

Marfuga's quality is recognised well beyond Italy. The oil carries the protected designation of origin DOP Umbria, a guarantee of provenance and method, and the house works organically. In 2025, the international guide Flos Olei — the sector's global reference — ranked its organic PDO oil among the twenty best in the world. A crowning achievement that rewards decades of work and a constant refusal of the easy path.

How to taste and use Marfuga oil

An oil of this level is enjoyed above all raw: a drizzle on a bruschetta, grilled vegetables, a pulse soup, fish or simply good bread. That's where its fruitiness and artichoke notes come into their own. To choose and store your oil well, find our tips in our guide to choosing the best olive oil.