Olive Oil Gospel: Freshness and Quality

Olives Picked by Hand and Pressed within 24 hours

At each orchard, olives are picked by hand or with tools that do not damage, immediately transported to the mill, and pressed under 77 degrees F. within the 24 hours of harvesting to ensure quality and freshness. Once an olive has fallen to the ground, it oxidizes much more quickly.  Harvested olives must be brought to the mill as quickly as possible and pressed that same day to preserve their freshness. The olives undergo a centrifugation process to separate the water from the oil and solids. The liquid is allowed to settle before being filtered, for several weeks. The oil is stored in stainless steel vats between 44- and 59-degrees F.

 

Only the Best Olives will be pressed, No Mix

Our olives are sorted to select only the best ones for processing: 5 to 12 kilos of olives are used to obtain only one liter of exceptional oil, a guarantee of high quality. Olive oils of different origins are never mixed, which would result in sub-standard oil and low acidity level never exceeds 0.3%.

 

Olives Harvest Date

The harvest date varies from one region to the next, depending on when the olives ripen, but it is best to collect the olives when they are still green to preserve the strong aroma of the oil. The harvest date, which must appear on each label, is definitely one of the most important things to know before buying any olive oil. But be sure not to confuse the harvest date with the best before date... this can easily lead to confusion. Oliviers&Co provides the harvest date so that you can enjoy the oil within a reasonable time after it is pressed, when it still possesses its richest aromas. The harvest date indicates the month and year when the olives were picked, as well as when they were pressed. Olives are generally harvested between October and January.

Specifics for Flavored Olive Oils

Our flavored olive oils are made with Fresh products or herbs crushed along with olives to create unique, amazingly fresh, and totally natural olive oils. No aroma added, no infusion!

Our opaque bottles and tins preserve the taste and quality of our oils.

 

Varietals, Climate, Soil and Weather

There are 4 main factors that affect the quality and taste of olive oil: the varietals of olives used, the climate (such as: air temperature, sunlight), the soil and weather (where dry conditions can result in really strong olive oil, wet conditions can give a fusty or negative taste to the oil). Throughout Europe, olive groves are harvested between October and March. Each October, like clockwork, at the 'Chapel of the Olives', the harvest begins when workers comb the trees' branches or gently shake them with long poles to make the olives fall to the ground, then pick them up by hand. Why hand harvesting vs. partially mechanized or better yet, fully mechanized? Because olives tend to bruise when they drop to the ground, which can cause oxidation and fermentation of the fruit, resulting in oil with high acidity that negatively affects both the oil’s taste and quality.
 

 

All Oliviers&Co Extra Virgin Olive Oils

All Oliviers&Co Flavored Olive Oils

All Oliviers&Co Classic Olive Oils (Everyday Cooking)

 

OLIVES PICKED BY HAND AND PRESSED WITHIN 24 HOURS


At each orchard, olives are picked by hand or with tools that do not damage, immediately transported to the mill, and pressed under 77 degrees F. within 24 hours of harvesting to ensure quality and freshness. Once an olive has fallen to the ground, it oxidizes much more quickly.  Harvested olives must be brought to the mill as quickly as possible and pressed that same day to preserve their freshness. The olives undergo a centrifugation process to separate the water from the oil and solids. The liquid is allowed to settle before being filtered, for several weeks. The oil is stored in stainless steel vats between 44- and 59 degrees F.

 

ONLY THE BEST OLIVES WILL BE PRESSED, NO MIX


Our olives are sorted to select only the best ones for processing: 5 to 12 kilos of olives are used to obtain only one liter of exceptional oil, guaranteeing high quality. Olive oils of different origins are never mixed, which would result in sub-standard oil and a low acidity level that never exceeds 0.3%.

 

OLIVES HARVEST DATE


The harvest date varies from one region to the next, depending on when the olives ripen, but it is best to collect the olives when they are still green to preserve the strong aroma of the oil. The harvest date, which must appear on each label, is one of the most important things to know before buying any olive oil. But be sure not to confuse the harvest date with the best before date... this can easily lead to confusion. Oliviers&Co provides the harvest date so that you can enjoy the oil within a reasonable time after it is pressed, when it still possesses its wealthiest aromas. The harvest date indicates the month and year when the olives were picked, as well as when they were pressed. Olives are generally harvested between October and January.

 

 

SPECIFICS FOR FLAVORED OLIVE OILS


Our flavored olive oils are made with Fresh products or herbs crushed along with olives to create unique, amazingly fresh, and totally natural olive oils. No aroma added, no infusion! Our opaque bottles and tins preserve the taste and quality of our oils.

 

VARIETALS, CLIMATE, SOIL AND WEATHER


There are 4 main factors that affect the quality and taste of olive oil: the variety of olives used, the climate (such as air temperature, and sunlight), the soil and weather (where dry conditions can result in really strong olive oil, wet conditions can give a fusty or negative taste to the oil). Throughout Europe, olive groves are harvested between October and March. Each October, like clockwork, at the 'Chapel of the Olives', the harvest begins when workers comb the trees' branches or gently shake them with long poles to make the olives fall to the ground, then pick them up by hand. Why hand harvesting vs. partially mechanized or better yet, fully mechanized? Because olives tend to bruise when they drop to the ground, which can cause oxidation and fermentation of the fruit, resulting in oil with high acidity that negatively affects both the oil’s taste and quality.


 

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