Our estates are located in an enclave and privileged environment

Azambuja HERDADE

 

Alqueva reservoir

 

Campo Maior Herdade

 

Integrated production system

 

Monovarietal o coupage

 

Our olives are grown on a 600-hectare plot beside Alqueva reservoir, one of the most important and advanced olive-growing areas in the world

Olivais do Sul has two estates – herdades in Portuguese – at the foot of Alqueva reservoir in the Alentejo region of Portugal, a privileged enclave that is much appreciated for the beauty of its landscape of rolling hills and plains, dotted with cork-oaks, olive groves and vineyards.

Azambuja Herdade

The Azambuja Herdade is in the Portel district, with 283 hectares of clay-rich soils. Our olive-oil mill, logistics centre and R&D department are all located on this estate.

The estate is crossed by the river Azambuja, from which it takes its name, lying to the north of the San Pedro mountains, resulting in a special microclimate that is colder than is normal for this region, avoiding many problems of pests and disease that affect olive trees and so playing a role in the quality of the olives grown and the oil that is produced from them.

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Azambuja Herdade

The Azambuja Herdade is in the Portel district, with 283 hectares of clay-rich soils. Our olive-oil mill, logistics centre and R&D department are all located on this estate.

The estate is crossed by the river Azambuja, from which it takes its name, lying to the north of the San Pedro mountains, resulting in a special microclimate that is colder than is normal for this region, avoiding many problems of pests and disease that affect olive trees and so playing a role in the quality of the olives grown and the oil that is produced from them.

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The privileged surroundings of Alqueva reservoir

In 2002 the Alentejo stretches of the river Guadiana were transformed into Europe’s largest artificial lake by the building of Alqueva dam.

The “Grande Lago” (Great Lake), as the Portuguese call it, is a kind of freshwater sea that has managed to harmonise with the rural landscape to become one of the most beautiful aquatic landscapes in Portugal.

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The dam has also completely revolutionised farming across the whole southern part of the country, because it was built not only to produce hydro power but also to transform the irrigation of the surrounding land. The reservoir has an area of 250 km² (nearly a hundred square miles), 33 square kilometres of which lie across the Spanish border in the province of Badajoz. It has a storage capacity of 4,150 hm³ of water (enough to supply the city of Lisbon for 40 years). The distance from the dam to the tail of the reservoir is 83 kilometres (52 miles). Its maximum depth is 152 m. Its total shoreline is 1,160 kilometres (720 miles) long, making it as long as the entire Portuguese coastline.

The building of the dam has been a key factor in the development of what is now one of the world’s most important and modern olive-growing regions, for both intensive and super-intensive cultivation. The dam has resulted in the creation of one of the world’s most modern irrigation systems, with over 120,000 hectares of farmland now irrigated, 60% of which is devoted to olive-growing (en seto or en copa).

Campo Maior Herdade

The Campo Maior herdade, 10 kilometres from Badajoz. This estate consists of a single 351-hectare plot with sandy flood-plain soils.

It is delimited on its southern corner by the Morto and Caia rivers. The main channel of Caia reservoir crosses the plot, flowing in part over a pretty aqueduct more than 10 metres above ground level.

Integrated production system

Since the firm was founded, Olivais do Sul has been applying the methods of the integrated production system.

This system lies half way between ecological (organic) and traditional production, benefiting not only foodstuff producers, thanks to the quality leverage it provides, but also consumers, farmers and the environment.

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The integrated production system at Olivar means we are constantly aware of the crop’s needs throughout the growing cycle. Different tools are used to inform decision-making about the careful use of plant-care products, the right fertilisation for each phenological stage, and the amount of watering that is strictly necessary in view of the climatological conditions. This system, which is backed by the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, enables high-quality production to be achieved without loss of yield and in a way that is environment-friendly.

Accrediting this production system means complying with a set of standards about quantities, dosages, products and periods of time when it comes to the use of plant-care products, fertilisers and nutrients. And any irrigation must be based on a drip-type system to optimise the use of water, as it is such a scarce resource.

The land is also managed under a no-ploughing system, which means that the soil is well treated and there are no erosion problems, because the soil is not turned over. As a result, the consumption of fossil fuels is much lower than with traditional crops.

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Monovarietal o coupage

The different varieties of olives allow us to produce more attractive EVOO for the consumer.

Olivais do Sul produces EVOO from different olive varieties. In the area where they are grown en seto, the variety grown is arbequina. It produces a rather sweet, fruity oil, with little bitterness and little sharpness. It contains few polyphenols and tends to lose its characteristics quickly. Of the varieties grown in the en copa areas, the main one is picual, which produces an intense, sharp, bitter oil. It has a high polyphenol content and maintains its characteristics well over time. We also grow the cobrançosa and frantoio varieties.

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DSC02008_1

Monovarietal o coupage

The different varieties of olives allow us to produce more attractive EVOO for the consumer.

Olivais do Sul produces EVOO from different olive varieties. In the area where they are grown en seto, the variety grown is arbequina. It produces a rather sweet, fruity oil, with little bitterness and little sharpness. It contains few polyphenols and tends to lose its characteristics quickly. Of the varieties grown in the en copa areas, the main one is picual, which produces an intense, sharp, bitter oil. It has a high polyphenol content and maintains its characteristics well over time. We also grow the cobrançosa and frantoio varieties.

Characteristics of Virgin Olive Oil

The olive oil’s quality depends on the production process. In Olivais do Sul we make essentially extra virgin olive oil.

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Aroma | Virgin Olive Oil should possess a fruity, fresh aroma without any trace of imperfections such as fustiness, rancidity or mustiness. Its aroma should be fruity and may have traces of other aromas such as apple, walnut, almond, grass or leaves.

Colour | The colour of olive oil is not strictly associated with its taste and aroma. Green olive oil is made with olives which are still green, while golden olive oil is comes from ripe olives. Green olive oils usually have a fruity aroma and taste.

Taste | Whether olive oil is produced from green or ripe olives, its taste should be free of imperfections. The taste may be sweet, bitter or spicy depending on olive variety and ripeness. Special glasses of a specific size are usually used in tasting, tinted cobalt blue to prevent tasters from being influenced by the colour of the olive oil; before tasting, the glass is heated in order to liberate the characteristic aromas of the oil.

Quality | The highest quality olive oil is Virgin Extra Olive Oil. A good quality olive oil is produced from healthy fruit processed within 24 hours of the harvest. Unlike wine, olive oil does not mature over time, so it is best consumed as soon as possible; however, under the right conditions it can be conserved for up to 18 months after extraction without loss of quality. Modern techniques enable high-quality olive oil to be produced under the best conditions of hygiene and sanitation.

Health benefits | Olive oil has long been regarded as the healthiest of all fats: unique and irreplaceable. The consumption of virgin olive oil reduces colesterol levels and helps in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases due to its high mono-unsaturated acid content. Virgin olive oil is a rich source of vitamin E, preventing cancer and heart diseases. Extracted from the fruit and especially rich in antioxidants, it also slows the ageing process.

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