Buongiorno da Torre di Palme, Italy and welcome to our official site for Casal Cristiana Extra Virgin Olive Oil! After a lifetime of working in his family business, Ponzi Vineyards, Michel Ponzi stepped down as CEO and has been residing in Italy since the summer of 2012, bringing his Italian heritage full circle. Years prior were spent cultivating personal and professional relationships with frequent trips to our Italian home in the Marche region. Through personal relationships in this small, but bountiful region in Italy, we have educated ourselves in the business of olive oil by harvesting our own trees and working with neighboring families and their olive groves. We experienced first hand the similarities to our wine making roots and traditions. Wine and olive oil, both are considered life's pleasure and elixirs of health. We invite you to be a part of the growing olive oil movement! Frantoio, leccino, carboncella and muraiolo are the olive varietals used to comprise our low acid, buttery and flavorful olive oil. Our trees grow on the grand, rolling hills overlooking the Adriatic Sea. It is this combination of sandy soil, mild ocean breezes, long warm summers and sustainable farming practices that produces this premium extra virgin olive oil we are now offering to America. Join us in the pursuit of good food. Being healthy tastes great and as our Italian friends say, "la vita e' breve, mangia bene!" Life is short, eat well!
