French Olive Oil – Virgin on the remarkable….
Last month, on May 23, the EU withdrew its proposal requiring catering establishments to serve olive oil in labelled, non-reusable containers. This would have meant a ban on all refillable olive oil bottles and jugs in cafes and restaurants across the EU.
Despite the fact that a control exists for every 1,000 litres sold or exported in Europe, olive oil is still one of the most adulterated products in Europe. France was one of the 15 EU member states that had supported the new proposal, nine had voted against and three, including the UK, abstained.
While some farming organisations expressed disappointment at the turnaround, the dominant reactions from the media and across social media networks largely ridiculed the proposed ban.
For example, Alyn Smith, a member of the European parliament for the Scottish National Party, tweeted “#Oliveoil proposal was, after all, virgin on the ridiculous,” and it wasn’t long before an “#oliveoilsongbook” appeared, with song title suggestions such as “unrefillable, that’s what you are” and “je ne vinaigrette rien”.
French olive oil production makes up just 0.2% of the EU’s olive oil output, but it is considered one of the best in the world. And with three million trees scattered around the Mediterranean coastline, eight AOCs (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) are confirmed in France by AFIDOL (Association Française Interprofessionalle de l’Olive), from Nîmes up to Nice.
Most of the olive oil farmers in France – around 75% – are not professionals, but people who are passionate about their olive trees. Those earning a living from olive oil production have to work very hard to ensure that their olive oil is of the highest quality – and many invest in mills, rather than share facilities, to ensure the best production process.
This is true of Domaine Salvator in Les Mées, a village in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, where every single one of the 8,000 trees is harvested by hand and then processed through their private mill. As the farm has been in the family for five generations, some of the trees there are around 500 years old.
At Domaine Salvator they pride themselves on the quality of their olive oil – and, as gold medal winners at the most important competitions in France (Paris and Marseille), their dedication has results.
So perhaps it does matter if an award-winning olive oil bottle is filled up with cheap, refined olive oil in a local café?
The aroma and flavour of top quality olive oil is incomparable to anything else, and, as so many properties around the Mediterranean and Provençal area of France come with varying numbers of olive trees, making personal blends, or cuvée, is a pastime many residents enjoy.
Home Hunts offers many properties with olive trees. This traditional Var farmhouse (HH-6631694) offers six hectares of land that includes both vineyards and olive trees. At €960,000 this property is a very attractive prospect and it is also just 15 minutes from the motorway and ten minutes from the TGV station.
Located in Barjols, this 18th century stone hamlet (HH-5237871) has been completely renovated and comprises: a four-bedroom house, a six-bedroom property and two further independent bastidons. With nine hectares of land, which includes 2.5 hectares of AOC Organic Coteaux Varois, a fruit orchard and olive trees, it would be ideal to rent out to large families or as a bed & breakfast. The hamlet is on the market for €1,900,000.
For more information about these properties or others that offer olive trees on the premises, visit the website, www.homehunts.com, or contact the team on +33 (0)970 44 66 43.
