Giorgio Calabrese Augusto Olearo
Augusto Olearo: the olive oil pioneer among the wine hills
Augusto Olearo is the owner of the historic Castello di Razzano, located in the heart of Monferrato. Winemakers for generations, the Olearo family has wine in its DNA; however, over the last 30 years, they have bet on a new excellence: extra virgin olive oil.
What began in 1996 as an aesthetic desire to enhance the Monferrato landscape with the first 60 Taggiasca trees has evolved into a cutting-edge agricultural project. By expanding from viticulture to olive growing, the Olearo family took on the challenge of repurposing part of their land, now managing over 1,600 trees, with the goal of exceeding 2,000 in the near future.
The true turning point came in 2021 with the purchase of an on-site continuous cycle oil mill. This allowed them to close the supply chain: olives are milled within just a few hours of harvest, guaranteeing a high-quality oil characterized by a perfect balance of bitter and spicy notes and an excellent chemical-organoleptic profile.
Augusto Olearo is also a dedicated promoter of the region. Together with six other local producers and the Luparia Agricultural Institute, he founded Ramolivo, a brand created to enhance and promote Monferrato olive oil while awaiting future PGI (IGP) or PDO (DOP) certifications. This project is part of an integrated tourism vision: 90% of the production is sold directly at the estate to an international clientele, pairing olive oil tastings with wine experiences. Furthermore, thanks to Olearo’s commitment, the historic "Wine and Food Route" has officially become a Regional Olive Oil Route, featuring digital paths and maps to guide tourists through mills, restaurants, and scenic landmarks.
The next crucial goal is education and training. Through collaborations with agricultural and hotel management schools, the project aims to train new professionals to ensure the future of Piedmontese olive oil culture.
Video table of contents
- Introduction
- At the origins of the idea
- The conversion of vineyards into olive groves
- A winning bet
- From olive growers to oil millers: closing the supply chain
- The quality of Monferrato's oil
- The choice of planting systems
- Marketing and promotion of Monferrato olive oil
- The importance of networking
- The birth of Ramolivo
- Astesana: now also an olive oil Route
- Olium, bridging olive farming and tourist promotion
- A crucial goal: training
Interview information
Country: IT
Region: Piemonte
City: Alfiano Natta
Locality: Castello di Razzano
Augusto Olearo
Date of birth: 05-15-1955
City: Asti
Profession: Entrepreneur
Languages: Italiano
Document by: Laura Bugliazzini
Video by: Andrea Icardi, Laura Bugliazzini
Created: 30-12-2025
Questo video fa parte del seguente archivio
Nourishing Piedmontese Identity: Bagna Cauda’s tales
Nourishing Piedmontese Identity: Bagna Cauda’s tales
Bagna cauda is a complex and multifaceted gastronomic system partly constituted by its ingredients and, above all, by a repertoire of cultural aspects capable of conveying symbols, traditions, and knowledge of the communities of Southern Piedmont, from which it is considered an identity food.
A dish in which every variant of the recipe is evidence of a different tradition: hundreds of possible preparations that differ from each other, connected by distinctive traits such as conviviality, sharing, irony, and the celebration of a non-solemn festive event. A unique convergence that represents the common thread of this repository that contains interviews with farmers, cooks, and those who experience the practice of bagna cauda as a moment of communion with food and collectivity.
A meaning that, in the last twelve years, the Astigiani Cultural Association has been able to grasp, proposing to the Piedmontese communities all over the world the participation to the Bagna Cauda Day. A very successful initiative that involved over 30.000 diners in the 2024 edition.
