To start
Le Barretian olive oil comes from our more than a century-old olive grove, located in the Upper Var, in the municipality of Villecroze les Grottes.
Our terroir, the climate of Var, the layout of the orchards, the altitude of the plots (350m), and their North-West/South-East orientation, all contribute to the flourishing of our olive trees.
In 2016, we revived our olive grove, which had been abandoned for decades.
It is on ancient terraces, mostly narrow, that our olive trees are planted. This adds to the charm of the site but makes cultivation more complex. It is impossible here to resort to industrial harvesting methods using "olive shakers," which are much more effective but violently shake the trunks of the trees. Of course, our ancestral method, requiring more labor, increases production costs, but the quality and respect for the tree are well worth this effort.
Our olives are cared for with love and without any non-organic treatments.
Our goal is to produce excellent quality oil using pruning, harvesting, and pressing techniques (the process during which the olive is transformed into oil) while respecting tradition and the environment.
The little story of the last harvest.
The winter of 2022 unfolded with a prolonged mildness, briefly interrupted by some cool spells in February 2023. This mildness intensified during the spring, transitioning into early episodes of heat and drought. Fortunately, the generous rains of May and June arrived just before the onset of flowering, ideally timed within the vegetative cycle of our olive trees. Subsequently, there was a return to mild weather followed by intense heat and a particularly dry summer, as is often the case in Provence. This precipitation deficit persisted until the end of September, with temperatures remaining very warm. The excellent yield potential was saved by the return of autumn rains.
The exceptional mildness of the year 2023 led to a rapid maturation, prompting us to start the harvest on November 8th. Mid-November saw the return of some beautiful morning frosts, with no consequences for our olives. The harvesting stretched to conclude by mid-December. This allowed us to harvest, as always, different lots of different varieties, at various stages of ripeness with well-defined characteristics. This enabled us to obtain harmonious olive oil with a balance between structure, pungency, and fruitiness, without excessive bitterness. All of these lots were then carefully tasted on several occasions to define the subtle and balanced blend we seek.
alpha volume 4
Alpha, Volume 4 intense green fruity with notes of greenery, artichoke and almond is as harmonious and balanced as ever.
With a present ardor and a slight bitterness, it will perfectly accompany your white fish, your vegetables (raw or cooked) or even your fresh cheeses.
le BARRETIAN
This is the result of blending olives harvested when more ripe (December). It will bring a bit more smoothness to the palate with very little pungency and bitterness.
Aromas of ripe fruits and red fruits characterize this olive oil.
You can enjoy it, for example, with cooked vegetables (ratatouille, pot-au-feu, vegetable medley...), in the preparation of your desserts, or simply on your pasta.