Hildenbrand Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The first commercial planting of olive trees in South Africa was done by Piet Cillie in 1893 on Reni’s farm and it was this history that inspired her to continue the tradition. From 800 olive trees she increased the plantings to 3,500 by 1995. Reni achieved her Certificate as an olive oil taster from ONAOO at the University of Imperia in Italy and she qualified for her Panel Leader certificate there two years later. Today Reni is the Panel Leader of the SA Olive CTC Tasting Panel and she has been Panel Leader at the New Zealand Olive Oil Competition and is a judge on the Sol D’Oro tasting panel.
What is EVOO?
EVOO is Extra Virgin Olive Oil – the highest grade of virgin olive oil, derived by cold extraction (below 30°C), without the use of solvents or refining methods. What makes it “extra” virgin is a little more technical: on sensory analysis it shows no defects (superior taste and aroma), on chemical analysis it shows a free acidity of no more than 0.8% (indicator of quality) and peroxides lower than 20 meq/kg (indicator of freshness).
Wine & Olive tasting by appointment only
Contact us to book your tasting experience:
info@wine-estate-hildenbrand.co.za | +27 82 656 6007
Extra virgin olive oil comes in three styles
Delicate: Subtle, fresh and fruity in taste and aroma
Medium: A good balance of fruity, peppery aftertaste and bitter or a pungent mouthfeel
Intense: Very fruity and pungent with a strong bite of bitterness
Cold Pressed indicates that milling temperatures were kept below 30 C, preventing the destruction of the temperature sensitive vitamins, antioxidants and flavour compounds.
The best by far is therefore Cold Extracted Extra Virgin, with full retention of all the wonderful flavours and health promoting constituents. However, as with wines, good quality olive oil is defined by its chemical and physical properties as well as its taste and fragrance. The specific cultivar or blend of cultivars used, ripeness of fruit, area of origin and climate influence the aroma, flavour, colour and mouth feel of an oil. For top culinary results, match or complement the specific flavours and aromas of the oil with those of the food.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
If possible, choose oils from that have the year of harvest on the label. Ideally the label should also include the date of pressing. Many oils have a “best before” date, but this is not altogether helpful.
The colour of the oil is influenced by the degree of ripeness of the fruit when pressed, and also by the cultivar. Usually greener fruit produces a greener coloured oil. So don’t let the colour of the oil influence your choice to much, although oil from a riper fruit (a pale golden colour) generally has a milder flavour. EVOO is sold in 375ml bottles, but bulk sales are also done. Prices are available on request.