Description

Portuguese olive oil is among the best in the world. From Trás-os-Montes to Alentejo Portugal always had the best crops of olives and is recognized for its ancestral techniques in the production of a high quality certified olive oil. One of the first exported products in Portugal the olive oil is the healthy fat mostly used in Portuguese cuisine.

We recommend Trás-os-Montes, Alentejo and Ribatejo olive oil awarded and recognized as a high quality product.

Herdade do Esporão is an olive oil producer from Alentejo demarcated region proving the high quality always as premium figure in global recovering of Alentejo singularly.

Herdade do Esporão, Olive Oil - Virgin Extra Selection

Complex and harmonious extra virgin olive oil, elegant, with a combination of herbal and floral notes, created from a selection of varieties to produce a distinctive olive oil that will please even the most demanding connoisseurs.

Poduced from 6 varieties of traditional Alentejo olives, Galega, Cordovil, Cobrançosa, Picual, Azeiteira e Frontoio.

Aroma

Herbal, fresh cut grass, tomato vines, green and ripe tomato, banana peel.

Palate

Elegant, balanced and complex, persistent with green walnuts.

Pairing

Ideal for drizzling vegetables and greens, asparagus, grilled meat, finishing dishes or to simply dip bread.

Maximum Acidity

0.2%%

Sizes

500 ml

Storage

Store in a cool dark place.

The numerous awards and mentions won by this Extra Virgin Selection olive oil from Herdade do Esporão, consecutively every year, are proof of one of the best olive oils produced in Portugal in the Alentejo region.

Esporão topped the list in the “Agriculture, Sea and Tourism” category of the Green Project Awards 2013. This prize distinguishes Esporão for its sustainable agriculture production methods.

History

The traces of the Olive tree in Portugal date back to the Bronze Age, but only in the 15th and 16th centuries its cultivation was widespread throughout the country. The Olive tree has always been the most important symbol identified with peace, prosperity and health in all Mediterranean people. Its cultivation and exploitation started at Estremadura and Alentejo and was with the Romans that the skill of using the fruit thereof was consummated.
The Mediterranean region alone is responsible for 95% of world production of olive oil, due to its climate.Portugal produces 37% of the total European Union production (Spain 36%, Italy 14% and Greece 10%).
Currently there are 6 protected designations of origin: Moura, Trás os Montes, Interior and Northern Alentejo, Ribatejo and Beiras. Alentejo olive oil is the major producing region in Portugal followed byTrás-os-Montes.
With the Portuguese discoveries, olive oil was exported on a bigger scale and in the mid-sixteenth century, the consumption had grown intensely as the oil was used as fuel for lighting with the main markets being in northern Europe and India.
Most olive trees were planted in vines regions in an attempt to bring in an income for those people who stayed on the lands. Consequently today groves of grey-green olive trees can be seen along the vineyards all over the regions bringing a beautiful yet sober look to the valleys.
It is one of the oldest and most used element in Portuguese cuisine. In addition to the known health benefits, olive oil adds a valuable touch of peculiar flavour.

Old Olive Oil grindstone: