Sensoriale: in Milan, olive oil tells its story through the senses. Platinum Award for Oleificio Cericola

There are occasions in which olive oil is not “just” an ingredient — it becomes a language. Olio Officina Festival 2026 places the concept of Sensoriale at the centre of the experience, inviting visitors to observe, smell, and taste with greater awareness — because it is precisely there that the true identity of an extra virgin olive oil reveals itself.

The 2026 edition of Olio Officina Festival takes place from 22 to 24 January 2026 in Rho–Milan, Centro Congressi Mantovani Furioli. The leading theme is Sensoriale: an invitation to rediscover olive oil through sight, smell, taste, and touch, guided by industry professionals and experts in the field. It is a concept that makes perfect sense: every olive oil is a world of its own, and Italian biodiversity is living proof of this.

Not by chance, the Festival highlights the fact that Italy counts hundreds of registered olive cultivars, each with its own distinctive sensory identity. And when that identity is truly present, it can be felt clearly — in the aromas, in the texture on the palate, and in the lingering finish left behind with every tasting.

Olio Officina has always been drawn to stories that broaden horizons. In recent years, for example, it has followed the creation of a commercial olive grove in the United Kingdom and the project developed by the Hoyles family, leading all the way to the production of extra virgin olive oil in December 2025. It is a powerful example of how the olive oil world is evolving — shaped by agricultural xperimentation, climate adaptation, and new geographical frontiers: The English Olive Co.

Within this context, Oleificio Cericola presents two distinctive expressions: Peranzana and Coratina in 0.50 L single-variety bottles. The bottle itself — opaque, designed both to protect the olive oil from light and to enhance its presentation — forms part of the narrative: not merely packaging, but a coherent way of presenting and elevating the olive oil experience.

Peranzana expresses itself through a balanced and elegant profile: an extra virgin olive oil that pairs beautifully with vegetables, fish, and white meats, bringing finesse to the table. It is the kind of olive oil that invites you to taste it neat before even using it in the kitchen. Coratina, on the other hand, reveals a more assertive character: bitterness and pungency in harmonious balance, with distinctive green notes of freshly cut grass, artichoke, almond, and rocket. It is the kind of olive oil that elevates bruschetta, pulses, soups, vegetable dishes, and more robust preparations

Contest “Forme dell’Olio”, Gourmet Oils Category

And then comes the moment that is impossible to ignore for those who appreciate not only olive oil itself, but also its cultural and design dimension: the “Forme dell’Olio” Contest. Oleificio Cericola was awarded the Platinum Prize 2026 for its de-stoned single-variety Coratina and Peranzana olive oils: OlioOfficina.It

For Cericola, this recognition reflects a concept of quality built both in the olive groves and in the olive mill: a short supply chain, de-stoning technology, and immediate cold extraction chosen as technical methods to preserve aromas, balance, and the distinctive character of each cultivar. An award that, just days before the Olio Officina Festival 2026, positions the olive mill among those producers capable of transforming olive oil quality into a clear, memorable, and recognisable identity.

For Cericola, taking part in the Festival means exactly this: being present with its own cultivars, allowing them to speak for themselves “live”, and bringing to Milan a vision of extra virgin olive oil that combines technique, care, and pleasure. And, if you wish, it is also the perfect opportunity to choose your olive oil from the 2025/2026 harvest directly from the shop.