Description
The Huile d'Olive de Nîmes PDO is extra-virgin olive oil obtained by olives of the type: Picholine, Négrette and Noirette. Also the following secondary types can be used: Sauzen vert, Rougette, Olivastre, Broutignan, Vermillau, Cul blanc, Verdale de l'Hérault or Groussaldo, Aglandau, Amellau, Pigalle and Piquette as well as other local, traditional types which existed before the frost of 1956.
Production Area
The production area of Huile d'Olive de Nîmes PDO covers 183 municipal areas in the department of Gard and 40 municipal areas in Hérault, in the region Languedoc-Roussillon.
Production Method
The olives, plucked directly from trees or by means of vibration, beating down with a pole and by suction or by any other systems which do not deteriorate their external appearance, must be conserved and transported in aerated cases or rigid containers. Between picking up and transformation, the olives can be conserved for maximum eight days. Before milling, the mix of olives of different types is allowed, but the Picholine type must amount to 60% of the olives used. The extraction is made by a mechanical process, but paying attention that the olive paste is not brought to a temperature higher than 30°C. The only allowed treatments are washing, decanting, centrifuging and filtering.
Appearance and Flavour
Huile d'Olive de Nîmes PDO is characterised by the predominance of the Picholine type which gives to it a piquant and sometimes even slightly bitter taste. The oil features scents of artichoke and green vegetable. In the mouth, the green vegatable aroma becomes a scent of garrigue and red fruits. The colour is green, sometimes with yellow reflections.
History
Huile d'Olive de Nîmes PDO confirms the close link of the region of Nîmes with the olive groves, since antiquity. Indeed, the production of olive oil goes back to ancient times in this region, where olive trees enhanced usefully the lands that were poor and, in this way, they produced the only possible fat. The olive growing, which started at the times of the Greek colonisation, had later developed with the settlement of Roman colonies and achieved its peak in the 16th century. In 1789, the olive oil was produced in the sector of Aramon and was considered one of the best and the city of Nîmes was an important centre for oil selling. In 1956, olive groves of the region of Nîmes were wiped out due to a strong frost. A new impulse was given starting from the 1990s. Since then, the production of Huile d'Olive de Nîmes PDO has been increasingly growing.
Gastronomy
The olive oil is a non-durable food which needs a right conservation to maintain its organoleptic features. So, it must be conserved in fresh rooms protected from light, at a temperature between 14°C and 18°C, far from heat sources and from products releasing odours. In addition, it must be consumed within four-six months from pressing to taste it in the period when its flavour is at the top. It is suggested to consume Huile d'Olive de Nîmes PDO when raw to appreciate better its scents and fruity flavour. A low temperature cooking is suggested to maintain all the olive oil features when preparing warm dishes.
Marketing
The product is sold only as Huile d'Olive de Nîmes PDO. It is marketed packed in glass or metal sheet containers.
Distinctive Features
The Picholine type is the most used for the production of Huile d'Olive de Nîmes PDO. It is considered the best compared with the other types due to its rusticity which enabled to adapt perfectly to the pedoclimatic conditions of the region.
