Description
The Olympia PGI is an extra-virgin olive oil obtained from olives of the varieties Koroneiki (90%) and Kollyreiki (10%).
Production Area
The production area of the Olympia PGI covers a large numbers of municipal areas within the administrative boundaries of the Olimpia province in the Ilia prefecture, in the West Greece region.
Production Method
The olive gathering takes place when the fruits are ripe. The gathering method is the "beating" or the traditional hand picking. After the gathering, the olives are transported (inside plastic baskets or natural bags holding 30 kg or 50 kg) to the oil mill for pressing. The pressing of the cleaned and selected olives (with a residue percentage not surpassing 5%) takes place in classic or centrifuging oil mills, which assure the best processing condition at a temperature of 30°C. The processing of the olives takes place within three days after the gathering. The fight against the olive fly, its main enemy, is done with attractive substances sprayed from the soil, with biologic methods without any treatment.
Appearance and Flavour
the Olympia PGI has a very light yellow-green colour, a dense structure and a fruity flavour. The aroma recalls that of ripe olives.
History
The history of the extra-virgin olive oil Olympia PGI is linked to the long-standing tradition of the olive tree culture in Greece, which is evidenced in historical sources and archaeological finds, giving this cultivation ancient origins.
Gastronomy
The extra-virgin olive oil is an easily perishable food that needs correct preservation in order to maintain its organoleptic characteristics intact. It is thus advisable to keep it in a cool place and away from light, at a temperature between 14°C and 18°C, away from heat sources and from products that give off particular smells. It is recommendable to consume it within four to six months after the pressing, to enjoy it in the period of highest expression of its taste. The extra-virgin olive oil Olympia PGI is an essential ingredient in the Mediterranean diet.
Marketing
The product is sold as Olympia PGI. It is marketed in dark or transparent glass bottles holding 500 ml, 750 ml, and 1 l, or in metal tins of 3 l to 5 l.
Distinctive Features
The olive tree is a Mediterranean species par excellence and permanently linked, since ancient times, with the production area of the extravirgin olive oil Olympia PGI. Its secular presence has marked not only the landscape, but also the customs, the tradition and the culture of this area, whose inhabitants have always applied cultivation methods that contribute to determine the quality of this oil.
