Olive Oil
Our olive oil
In Villa Oliva we have two different varieties of olive trees: Picual and Algarve’s Maçanilla.
Our olive oil is a blend of these two varieties. The harvesting is done at the end of September. We take special care in all the process, making sure that everything is done properly. We pick the olives by hand and we take them, duly accommodated to the mill, within 24 hours after picking, to avoid oxidation. The pressing is done by mechanical means with modern equipment at low temperature to get the best quality olive oil. We store it in stainless steel containers until it is bottled.
We invite you to try it!
Olive oil tradition
Olive oil has been one of the most important products of the Algarve’s economy for the past two thousand years, particularly since the XIV century. However, it has suffered a decadency period on the second half of the XX century, associated with tourism development in the region, and now is coming back and increasing its importance.
Climate, the soils and the cultivated varieties contribute to the good quality of the olives and are now giving continuity to the tradition.
The harvest in Algarve begins end of September, with the olives still green and goes until December with the olives already matured.
The olives are harvested in a tradition way, by hand or using a rake, gently dislodge the olives, for the tarps under the trees.
Olive tree is one of the cultures that makes part of the Mediterranean trilogy together with wheat and wine.
“Azeite” (the Portuguese word for olive oil) comes from the Arabic “al-zait” meaning olive juice.