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The Colonna estate nestles between the rolling green hills and the sparkling blue Adriatic in southern Molise’s fertile farmland. Here, donna Marina Colonna owns and runs the 320 hectare estate at Bosco Pontoni, which has been in her family for 200 years. As the land slopes gently down to the coast the light plays on the patches of silver-green olive trees; the many groves of these ancient trees blend into the large plots of land that change colour according to the season, from autumn brown to spring green.

The daughter of Prince Francesco Colonna, Marina took over the family’s estate in 1996, the origins of the family’s connection with this land go back to the early 1800s, it was part of the dowry of the Duchess Cattaneo di Sannicandro who married Prospero Colonna. Today, as well as olive groves, wheat, oats, corn, sugar beets, alfalfa, sunflowers, canola and vegetables are grown. Herons, hawks and migratory birds feed at the estate’s five artificial lakes created for irrigation in the early 1960s by don Francesco.

The Colonna family planted the estate’s first modern olive groves, with 10,000 trees of local varieties. Another 15,000 tress from 24 varieties were planted in innovative, high-density groves in 1991. Over the years the varieties cultivated have been fine-tuned, and the methods of planting and nurturing the trees perfected. In 1998 ten more hectares of experimental plantations were created, to hold the promise of tomorrow’s blended oils. Using avant-garde agricultural techniques in harmony with the best local traditions, the estate’s unique olive growing environment has been created.

The extra virgin olive oil produced in the estate’s mill is bottled and labeled on site. The trademark "Amphora" bottles were designed by Marina herself from an ancient piece of Etruscan glass found among the family’s many historical treasures.

Colonna oils have been marketed as a brand since 1986 and their presence on the international market has steadily grown. Production has also increased greatly in quality, thanks to the good cultivation techniques and to the great experience of the tasting board that creates the yearly blend. Colonna oils have won numerous national and international awards.