Meet a Family-Owned EVOO Producer with a Vacation Villa Near Rome

Villa DiTrapano, Inc. is a family-run, small batch producer of extra-virgin olive oil and vacation villa located in Sezze Romano, Italy. The property—which consists of 16 acres nestled in the Lepini Mountains south of Rome overlooking the Mediterranean Sea—was purchased by our grandfather, Luigi DiTrapano, in 1932 on one of his many return trips to Italy after he left at the age of 15 in 1904.

Villa DiTrapano extra-virgin olive oil first arrived in the United States under the radar of Customs in plastic water bottles hidden in suitcases. Friends who visited our home in Sezze Romano, Italy, were persuaded to transport two of these liter-sized bottles filled with the latest harvest of oil on the promise that after arriving in Charleston, West Virginia, they could keep one liter for themselves. The other liter was to be delivered to our father, Rudolph DiTrapano. This went on for many decades.

Finally, in 2013 we began to consider becoming legitimate. Everyone who had tasted our olive oil harassed us to bring them more when we traveled to Italy, so we thought we might be successful if we tried to sell it. It took some time to figure out all the details (harvesting, producing, shipping, branding, etc.), but in 2016, we legitimately imported the first small batch of Villa DiTrapano extra-virgin olive oil. Seven years later, we are now organizing the shipment of our 2023 harvest.

Our olive harvest starts in late September every year. Once harvested from the trees, the olives are taken to a nearby olive mill and cold pressed into extra virgin olive oil within 24 hours. No heat or chemicals are used in the process, which ensures maximum quality and flavor.  

Three types of olive trees grow in our orchard: Leccino, Frantoio, and the wonderful Itrana. Itrana olives only grow in the Lazio region of Italy, where Sezze Romano is located. The Itrana olive gives the oil a robust fruity flavor with a hint of sea salt and a peppery finish. Some say they taste nuances of tomatoes and artichokes. Everyone claims our olive oil tastes like "olives" when they try it for the first time. We thought that was the idea.

We import approximately 1000 liters of oil each year and always sell out before the next harvest arrives. This is a great problem to have because it means we always have the freshest oil available for our clients and friends. People start contacting us at Thanksgiving to reserve their olive oil for the holiday season. Our olive oil is sold in a dozen or so stores in West Virginia, and we also ship wholesale and retail throughout the U.S.

You can order a bottle of our oil and read more about Villa DiTrapano olive oil and vacation villa at www.villaditrapano.com.