Productieproces Extra Vierge Olijfolie
Production process of extra virgin olive oil
The big harvest
The harvesting of the olives starts at the end of October / beginning of November, depending in part on the weather in the previous months, and the growth and ripening of the olives. The olives are picked by hand, i.e. really by hand or a small rake with which you zip the olives from the branches. In large trees use a device with “vibrating fingers” that vibrate the olives from the branches. Quite often inside the tree remaining olives have to be hand picked.
The olives fall on nets that are placed around the trees. When a tree is empty, the nets are emptied into a wheelbarrow or trailer.
To the press shop
The same day the olives are picked, the olives are pressed at the local press. The olives are poured into a funnel, after which the olives are transported to the rinsing machine via a conveyor belt. During transport on the belt, the olives are separated from leaves, twigs and other natural materials. After the rinsing bath, the olives go into the pressing machine.
The pressing process
The pressing machine has a rotating auger that presses the olives against the pressing wall, separating the oil from the pulp. The pressing takes place at a temperature of 18-20 degrees, this low temperature ensures that all the good properties of the oil are retained. They call this “cold pressing”.
First pressing only!
The waste from the pulp is separated and transported outside and is no longer used for a second pressing. The press shop only delivers a first pressing, which is why the oil is guaranteed of premium quality. The oil is not filtered but goes directly into the customer's bottles or barrels. As a result, smells, flavors and vitamins are retained.
Our oil is the result of a raw material of excellent quality, extracted directly from the olives in the most natural way available.
Rest the oil
Some natural sediment collects at the bottom of the bottle, which remains in the bottle until it is completely emptied.
Olive oil that has "rested" naturally achieves a crystal clear appearance! This process takes about 6 to 8 weeks after bottling. After resting the oil, the production process is completed. The olive oil is now ready for sale and the product has a very nice, round and full flavor. This is what we call premium olive oil.
If the oil has a spicy aftertaste, then the oil is not yet sufficiently rested or the sediment has come loose during transport. Then let the bottle sit for one or two days so that the sediment can settle again.
Collaboration with the press shop
Since 2013 we have been working together with a pressing shop in Adzaneta d'Albaida, a family business of a father with 4 sons. This press is located 7km away very close to our olive groves, at the end of a day of picking, the olives can be delivered directly to the press for processing.
Due to the warmer winters, the olives can be picked a month earlier. As a result, we have less loss because fewer olives fall to the ground. But the most important thing with this press shop is that each customer gets his oil in their own collection vessels. It is also very important to us that the 'olive waste' is not used again for a second pressing. The direct coupling from press machine to collection vessel makes it impossible to dilute the olive oil with other oils of lesser quality.
Qualities in olive oil
In recent years, rogue presses and suppliers have been encouraged to mix olive oil of different qualities in order to reduce the production price. Various media have also warned about this. The quality of our extra virgin oil is guaranteed in any case by our production process and the working methods of our press mill. What qualities exist in olive oil, we have described in detail another page .
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Keywords:
extra virgin olive oil - production process olive oil - olives - pressing - pressing - picking