…but me loves me Olive Oyl more. Many of us love our olive oil too and today the VALOR Fellows visited Bodegas Zuccardi Vineyards and Winery. Along with that amazing experience we were also given a tour of their olive oil production facilities.
Familia Zuccardi has approximately 900 acres of olives. We learned that about 18 pounds of olives are needed to produce one Liter of oil. Typical annual production is 300,000 Liters. There olives oils are very tasty with 96% being sold domestically and the remainder exported.
Different flavors and tastes are achieved by regulating when the olives are harvested, early harvest means a more bold and spicy taste and late harvest would render a milder smother flavor. Around 90% of the harvest is accomplished by hand during April thru June timeframe. It was interesting to learn the difference between green and black olives, other than the obvious of course, is that black olives are simply more mature.
The oil is extracted using a compress and then centrifugal separation process. The term “Virgin” indicates the first “run” of oil from the process and it is the finest quality produced.
This is yet another example of the diversity of Argentine agriculture. I know that I agree with Popeye as I love olive oil too. Fix yourself a salad, add a couple slices if hot bread, drizzle some fresh Virgin Olive Oil on top and enjoy as you read along and learn with us.
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