Delicious Portuguese olive oil. Nice balance between green and bitter with soft and creamy!
A recent release is the certified organic Casa Ferreirinha Extra Virgin Olive Oil, produced from ancient olive groves across the Douro Valley in the Cima Corgo and Douro Superior. The majority of the olive groves are well over 100 years old, although 10% of the blend is made up of olives from trees that are younger, around 30 years old. As with old field blend vines, it was customary for farmers to plant many different types of olive trees to ensure a consistent harvest. The resulting olive oil therefore blends a great array of olive varieties, from the melodic sounding Cobrançosa, Redondal and Verdeal Transmontana, to Galega, Lentisca and Madural.
Most of the olives are harvested by hand, due to the challenging topography and steep slopes of the Douro Valley. The oils are then quickly transported to the stone mill for pressing at cold temperatures to preserve the freshness and aromatics of the olives. The oil is then left to settle for a few days before the final blend is assembled. Negrinha de Freixo and Madural make up around 60% of the blend, Verdeal Transmontana 25%, Cobrançosa 10% and the remaining 5% comprises various other varieties, including Galega, Redondal, and Lentisca.
