In Provence, olive picking began at the end of October 2018. It takes place from October to January, depending on the terroirs, varieties and know-how. In this article, we propose you to discover, the first trends of the olive oil vintages of France 2019.
Harvest October and November 2018: healthy and natural olives
The ancestral tradition of olive picking is accompanied by an unusual ritual. At the gates of the olive oil mills of Provence, curious convoys of crates of freshly picked olives make their way to the press. It’s the time of the olives.
This year the olives are ripe before their time, due to a dry winter and a particularly hot summer. The drought has had the merit of avoiding fly attacks and phytosanitary treatments. This fly lays eggs in the olives. It is a real scourge for olive growers who lose their entire harvest. Fortunately, the olives harvested this year in Provence are particularly healthy and natural. To obtain an extra virgin PDO or organic “Fruité vert” olive oil from France, the olives are harvested while still green in October-November. They are pressed fresh immediately. The olive oil is loaded with chlorophyll. It has a marked taste of artichoke and cut herbs. It is generally pungent with a slight bitterness (ardence). To obtain a “ripe fruity” olive oil, the olives are harvested from November to December when fully ripe. The olives are pressed from 1 to 3 days after harvesting. The “fruity black” olive oil is obtained from ripe olives between December and January. The olives are stored for a few days. It is the know-how of the millers that determines the right moment to press the olives.
The 2019 vintage of the French olive oil “fruité vert” PDO and Bio is expected to be rare because of the rain!
This year the “fruité vert”, PDO from Provence, PDO from Baux de Provence and “fruité vert” organic olive oils are expected to be rare. Yields are said to be down due to the rainy spells in October and early November. The olives have become waterlogged. Thus, in the Var at the beginning of the campaign, for 100 kg of olives, we obtain 7 to 9 litres of oil, instead of 20 to 25 litres. In addition, with the rain, the olive picking is difficult. Only the Mistral wind and cold weather can now make it possible to re-establish a correct level of yield for green fruity extra virgin olive oil. However, if the yields seem to be decreasing, the taste is still there. The olive oil is milder but has retained its artichoke and fresh grass aroma. The 2019 vintage of fruity green olive oil from France will therefore have less bitterness and spiciness than the 2018 vintage. It will be sweet with undeniable gustatory qualities.
If you like olive oil rather fiery and spicy, continue to enjoy the fruity green olive oil 2018. This olive oil keeps all its authenticity and taste qualities until December 2019.
Waiting for the trends for the 2019 vintage of the French olive oil “fruity ripe”, “fruity black” with an old-fashioned taste…
According to the olive varieties, the harvest has not started. Olive oil with the traditional “ripe fruity” taste is produced from ripe olives harvested late and up to January. This traditional olive oil is sweet with little heat and no bitterness. It reveals the fruity taste of olives picked black and ripe in Nîmes, Les Baux de Provence and the Alpes de Haute Provence.
From mid-December, the Tench will also be picked. This variety of olive characterizes the PDO olive oil of Nyons. The olive is black and wrinkles with the arrival of winter. It is a unique olive in the world of which the olive growers of the Nyonsais and the Baronnies are particularly proud. The pulp of the Tanche is abundant and unctuous. Its late harvest and advanced maturity reveal its emblematic typicity. The oil is unctuous and soft, marked by a fresh buttery taste in the mouth. It offers aromas of green apple and dried fruits. The ripe fruitiness of Nyons olive oil is rare and adapts to all styles of cooking.
While waiting for the olive harvest, take advantage of the exceptional aromas of Nyons PDO olive oil and the “ripe fruity” old-fashioned extra virgin olive oil of 2018. They are to be consumed until 2020 and the 2018 vintage was exceptional!