Istrian Olive Oil
Olives have been cultivated on the Istrian peninsula and pressed for their precious oil since Roman times. The 1600-year-old olive tree on Veliki Brijuni island, off Istria’s south-west coast, is a testimony to this long tradition, as are the ancient terracotta amphorae once used to transport and store the oil, which lie on display in the cellar of Pula’s Roman amphitheatre.
Istria has been named ‘Best Olive Oil Region’ by the 2019 Flos Olei olive oil guide, an honour the region has enjoyed for the fourth year in a row. The 2019 edition of this influential guide lists 79 top Istrian olive oil producers.
Most Istrian olive oil makers are small, family-run outfits producing very limited quantities of this ‘liquid gold’. Though they can’t compete with the quantity made by bigger Italian or Spanish producers, they make up for this by making truly exceptional oils, many of which are organic. In recent years Istrian producers have been collecting a growing number of international awards for their extra virgin olive oils. Out of the 40 Croatian oils that won awards at the 2018 New York International Olive Oil Competition, 29 were from Istria.
Another marker of its high quality is the official appellation ‘Istrian extra virgin olive oil’ which is already protected at the national level since 2015 and will soon receive Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status at the EU level. This guarantees that all stages of the production process, from cultivation to processing and bottling and packaging, takes place in Istria.
Terroir
It turns out that geographical position of Istria, soil composition and microclimate is indeed very favourable for growing olives. Somewhat cooler climate like the one in Istria generally does well to olives. Oils from these geographical locations are more aromatic and healthier as they have high levels of unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants.
OL ISTRIA by Vina Laguna
About
Ol Istria is the largest olive oil producer in Istria and Croatia, counting 65.000 trees on 220 hectares of land. In the olive groves situated near the sea, some of them are older than 50 years, the following olive varieties ripen: istarska bjelica and buža, leccino, pendolino, picholino and ascolana. Ol Istria has its own oil mill.
Recent Awards: Gold medal at the Los Angeles Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition (2016), Gold medal at the London International Olive Oil Competition (IOOC), Gold medal at the New York International Olive Oil Competition (2015).
Olive Oil & Food
When pairing olive oil with foods, flavor and intensity should be balanced with other ingredients. Soft, sweet oils are best combined with fish and stronger oils are better served with stronger dishes e.g. bitter vegetables such as chicory and rocket salad. Soft oils, fruity in scent, can be used as salad dressings, added to prepared dishes before serving or in making desserts.
OL ISTRIA
PROCESS – Cold pressing method yielding extra virgin olive oil distinguished by its particularly high content of natural antioxidants. Olives are hand harvested and processed within 12 hours, which secures the base for top quality of this extra virgin oil. All varieties are endowed with a specific taste, scent and intensity, and thus oils, much like wines, can be paired with various dishes. Each drop of this extra virgin olive oil merges centuries of tradition and the most advanced agricultural and production technologies.
TASTING NOTES & CHARACTERISTICS – Golden green jewel of Istrian olive growing, obtained through cold pressing with 0.08 to 0.2% of free oleic acids. High in nutritionally valuable elements and aromatic notes, this extra virgin olive oil features particularly well-balanced piquancy and bitterness, a pleasant flavour, green to yellow colour and thickness.
