Estepa

Appearance & taste

Estepa is harvested early and therefore tastes more of green than of ripe olives. At tasting, the fruitiness must reach a median of at least 4.5, according to the specification one of the highest values in the EU. Bitterness and pungency each lie between 2.5 and 6. Free acidity is at most 0.3 %. The oil is very resistant to oxidation and rich in pigments such as chlorophyll and carotene.

There are four types. The blend of Hojiblanca, Arbequina, Manzanilla, Picual and Lechín de Sevilla contains at least 35 % Hojiblanca, which may only be harvested in October or November; it has a medium-intensity green fruitiness. The blend of Hojiblanca and Arbequina contains 20 to 80 % of each variety. In addition there is pure Hojiblanca oil and pure Arbequina oil, the latter with balanced bitterness and pungency. The other types are as bitter and pungent as is typical of oils from the start of the season.

Production

The olives are harvested directly from the tree as soon as they have reached the degree of ripeness for the typical fruitiness. The oil is extracted only by mechanical or physical means, without altering the taste, aroma and characteristics of the fruit, and then matures in the cellar; only after that is it checked whether it meets the requirements. Growing the olives and extracting the oil take place in the area. Every package for sale bears a guarantee seal and a numbered label of the Regulatory Council, neither of which can be reused.

Origin & history

The area comprises twelve municipalities in the province of Seville, including Estepa, Herrera and La Roda de Andalucía, plus plots in Écija and Osuna and the Miragenil area in Puente Genil in the province of Córdoba. The soils are calcareous and poor in organic matter; according to the specification, undemanding olive trees cope better here than any other crop, and olive groves make up 95 % of the agricultural land. Little rain and a continental climate make the olives ripen faster. The specification gives the lack of water as the reason why the oil is more bitter than oil of the same varieties from other areas.

Traditionally, about 30 % of the olive harvest in the area is table olives. Their harvest begins in September, and the harvest of olives for oil follows on, overlapping with it. According to the specification, this is why the harvest begins earlier than in any other growing area in the world.