Some Clarity re Olive Oils

Carle, at Hidden Valley Wines, sent The Month this press release from SA Oliveupon reading our recent Olive Spoils article (below):

Liquid gold, as olive oil enthusiasts call their favourite gastronomic ingredient, has once again caught the limelight – this time due to dubious practices of certain restaurants parading seed oils as Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Well known TV programme Carte Blanche recently reported on these fraudulent practices where consumers are being mislead regarding the quality and origin of the supposed olive oil they are served with.
  SA Olive, the voluntary association representing the interests of the SA olive industry, has made their outrage known. “When something like this happens in another country the South African Olive Industry frowns upon it, but when it happens in South Africa we are truly horrified,” says SA Olive chairman, Andries Rabie. “Our industry cannot afford consumers to doubt the quality of South African olive oils and the trustworthiness of our labelling.” SA Olive pulls together olive growers, olive oil producers, table olive producers and olive tree nurseries in order to promote the industry but also to protect the interests of the consumers of this healthy product.
  “Similar deceptive practices have reared their ugly heads in South Africa before,” says Rabie, “and for this reason SA Olive instituted the Member of SA Olive Commitment to Compliance Scheme (CTC) back in 2005 as the first step in establishing control over the labelling procedures of local products.”
  Participation of SA Olive members to the CTC scheme is voluntary and self-regulating. Their commitment to the initiative is shown with the “Member of SA Olive” seal on their bottles. Producers whose products bear this seal of authenticity confirm that the content is 100% locally produced and made in accordance with the SA Olive Code of Conduct and Practice based on international standards. Furthermore, those who subscribe to the CTC scheme label their products in an honest and comprehensible manner and indicate the freshness of the oil by clearly displaying the year of harvest on the label.
  “A knowledgeable consumer is a satisfied one,” says Rabie. “It is vital that consumers are able to discern between the various kinds of olive oils available.” He explains that Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a natural, unrefined olive oil with a free acidity of below 0.8%, no defects and a fruity characteristic. For a local olive oil to be classified as Extra Virgin it has to undergo strict testing, which includes a chemical and organoleptic analysis, handled by a tasting panel convened by SA Olive in Paarl every consecutive week.
  In comparison, Virgin Olive Oil is also a natural unrefined olive oil but with a free acidity between 0,8% and 2% and with minimal defects. Olive oils which are flawed and unfit for consumption need to undergo a refining process during which they are deodorised and bleached. The result is a tasteless, almost colourless product called refined olive oil. In turn, Olive Pomace Oil is a solvent extracted from the solid press cake residue. It cannot be classified as or called Olive Oil, specifically not as Pomace Olive Oil which one often sees on labels. It should in fact read „Olive Pomace Oil‟. *
  “Consumers are right to demand that the olive oil they are served are pure,” says Rabie. “The natural antioxidants in Extra Virgin Olive Oil make it so much healthier than olive oil that has been refined. The refining process which other vegetable oils, such as canola oil, have to be subjected to in order to be fit for human consumption destroys the valuable antioxidants as well as the gorgeous flavour components, minerals and vitamins.
  Consumers, as well as reputable eateries should by no means compromise their right to high quality olive oil in lieu of inferior products. South African olive oils regularly bring home armfuls of accolades and present the consumer with extreme value for money and a secure high quality product.
  For further information regarding the SA Olive Commitment to Compliance scheme or a list of participating members, contact SA Olive at tel (021) 870 2900, fax (021) 870 2915, e-mail info@saolive.co.za or visit www.saolive.co.za.

Noble Hill Wins!

Noble Hill Olive Oil Wins First Place at International Wine and Olive Oil Design Awards.

It was quite a surprise when a tiny Valley upstart claimed first place at the International Wine and Olive Oil Design Awards held in Porto, Portugal recently. Noble Hill Wine Estate’s Virgin Territory brand olive oil was named the winner at a gala dinner held at the Palácio da Bolsa.

Virgin Territory is cold extracted, extra virgin olive oil, harvested by hand at Noble Hill Wine Estate in the Franschhoek Valley. The oil is a blend of Frantoio, Kalamata, Manzanillo and Mission olives and has the distinctive spiciness of a premium, small-batch product. “We wanted to make something special, since we only produce about 700 bottles of oil each year. For the packaging we decided to try something new and it has really paid off,” noted owner K. Austin Tillery.

As part of Noble Hill’s continuing commitment to sustainability, the packaging for Virgin Territory is designed to be completely re-usable: the bottle is fitted with a high-quality re-usable stopper and the label has been replaced with a fitted rubber band: perfect for keeping a good grip and re-usable for any number of household applications. Finally, a dropless pouring disc is included for easy pouring and even easier refilling.

For more information, please contact wines@noblehill.com or call 021 874 3844

For more Franschhoek news, visit The Month Online.