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Olive Oil From the Alentejo Region in Portugal

By: Bert Snijder

The region known as Alentejo Interior has very particular climatic conditions, that create an ideal and privileged environment for the olive tree growth. There is a wide variety of soil types, but all of them are rich in calcium and potassium, which have a strong influence on the trees size and production.

The Azeites do Alentejo Interior are obtained by mechanical processes from fruits of the varieties Galega Vulgar, at a minimum of 60 %, Cordovil de Serpa and/or Cobrancosa, at a most of 40%.

Other varieties are tolerated up to 5 %, except for Picual and Macanilha.

This olive oil has a golden colour, a soft fruity aroma of ripe and/or green olives and other fruits, specially apples and/or figs, and a sweet flavour.

The use of the Protected Denomination of Origin label forces the producers to follow a certain number of rules which include the olive varieties accepted; picking conditions; transport to the press, working conditions and final product characteristics, that are:

-Only healthy, ripe olives picked from the tree can be used;
-The olive oil is extracted by a pressing or centrifugation process;
-The paste is squeezed and beaten at a maximum temperature of 30 C;
-The olive oil is stored in containers covered by inocuos and easily washable product.

These containers are kept in storehouses with an isolation system that avoids high temperatures and provides the olive oil with stable temperatures between 16 and 17 C.

The olive oil is bottled in an environment free from dirt, smokes, odours or other conditions that may change its physical, chemical or organoleptic characteristics.

The geographical production area for this olive oil is limited to the districts of Portel, Vidigueira, Cuba, Alvito, Viana do Alentejo, Ferreira do Alentejo and Beja and to the parishes of Aljustrel, S. Joao de Negrilhos and Ervidel in the district of Aljustrel, Entradas in the district of Castro Verde, Alcaria Ruiva in the district of Mertola and Torrao in the district of Alcacer do Sal.

This PDO is managed by the producers association UCAAI Uniao de Cooperativas do Alentejo Interior, URCL.

The control is made by CERTIALENTEJO Certificacao de Produtos Agricolas, Lda..

MOURA
The Protected Denomination of Origin Azeite de Moura is confirmed by its use since ancient times. It is not by chance that the people say azeitao fino como o azeite de Moura(fine as the olive oil from Moura).

It is in Moura that we find an old spool olive press that testifies the antiquity and the importance of olives and olive oil in this region.

Azeite de Moura presents excellent chemical and sensorial characteristics. It is obtained from the olive varieties Verdeal at a maximum between 15 and 20 %, Cordovil between 35 and 40 % and Galega for the remaining part.

It has low or very low acidity, a greenish yellow colour, with fruity odour and taste, bitter and spicy in the months after the extraction.

The use of the Protected Denomination of Origin label forces the producers to follow a certain number of rules which include the olive varieties accepted; picking conditions; transport to the press, working conditions and final product characteristics, that are:

-Only healthy, ripe olives picked from the tree can be used;
-Transport to the press must be made as soon as possible after the picking in medium-sized containers that allow a good air circulation;
-The olives are cleaned and washed, but the time period between washing and pressing must not exceed 24 hours;

-The paste is squeezed and beaten at a maximum temperature of 30 C , for 25 to 30 minutes in the classical press system and for 50 minutes in centrifugation systems;
-The olive oil is stored in containers between 15 and 16 C to decant the solids (lees) resulting from the extraction process;

-There are frequent container transfers to avoid the olive oil contamination by the odours and tastes of the lees;
-The olive oil is bottled in glass bottles at temperatures between 18 and 20 C;
-All the material and equipment in contact with the olive paste must be covered by inert material.

This olive oil is produced in the parishes of Amareleja, Povoa de S. Miguel, S. Joao Baptista, S. Agostinho, S. Amador, Safara, S. Aleixo da Restauracao and Sobral da Adica, in the district of Moura; in the parishes of Pias, Vale de Vargo, Vila Verde de Ficalho, Brinches, S. Maria, Salvador and Vila Nova de S. Bento, in the district of Serpa and in the parish of Granja, in the district of Mourao.

This PDO is managed by Cooperativa Agricola de Moura e Barrancos, CRL.

The control is made by ATOM Associacao Tecnica dos Olivicultores de Moura.

Article Source: http://www.articleresourceindex.com

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