In our world, basil is the king of fragrant herbs.

We grow a heavily scented variety in Piedmont with a wonderfully fresh zingy flavour and a top note of lemon. In fact, if you come to visit us in our fields you'll be struck by their aroma. Its intoxicating.

The basil season runs from the end of June to the end of summer in September.

The seeds are planted by four gorgeous brothers, the Amateis, and take two months to grow. They harvest it early in the morning, before the sun gets too hot, by driving the equivalent of a basil combine harvester skilfully along the thick rows of basil, singing as they go. Really. The plants are never completely cut down, just thinned out to let the smaller leaves grow every two weeks.

Heaps of this freshly cut basil then gets taken to the farm for washing and packing before being sent to basil HQ in Asti, the home of Sacla'. Once there theres no time to waste - we like to pick and pack within 12 hours which is why our sauces are so intense.

The pesto magic begins again, when we wash, sort the finest leaves and add the pine nuts, garlic, oil, and cheese. Then it's into a jar and on to our warehouse where it waits patiently until you and all the other pesto addicts have eaten every last jar in the UK.