"Huile d'olive de Provence", a product with unique characteristics

"Huile d'olive de Provence" is a virgin or extra virgin olive oil, obtained exclusively by mechanical processes, mainly from the Aglandau (at least 20%), Bouteillan, Cayon and Salonenque varieties. It is renowned for its 4 essential fatty acids (palmitoleic acid, margaroleic acid, vaccenic acid, linoleic acid).
There are two types of olive oil, depending on the method used to obtain them:
- When the olives are quickly crushed less than 4 days after harvest, the resulting olive oil is characterized by a well-presented but moderate bitterness and spiciness, and aromas of fresh grass and/or raw artichoke.
- When the olives undergo a ripening phase of up to 10 days prior to trituration (crushing), the oil obtained - identified by the label "olive maturée" - is characterized by a virtual absence of bitterness and pungency, aromas of black olives, candied fruit, undergrowth and/or toasted bread.

An ancestral olive culture

Oil mill ruins and old presses found within the geographical area bear witness to the cultivation of olive trees in Provence since the VIᵉ century BC. Today, there are some two million trees, spread across this stony area, bathed in a "Provençal" Mediterranean climate characterized by a dry summer season, framed by two rainy seasons and the presence of the mistral, which can be violent.
Olives are traditionally harvested from the "olives tournantes" stage (passage from bright green to yellow) and before full ripeness (black olives). They are either picked directly from the tree, or harvested mechanically using nets or other containers. The processes and treatments authorized to obtain oil are: leaf removal, washing, trituration, blending, extraction by centrifugation or pressing, decantation, centrifugation and filtration.