Sitia Lasithiou KritisΣητεία Λασιθίου Κρήτης

Appearance & taste

The oil is light green to yellowish green. In tasting, the fruitiness must reach a median of at least 3, and bitterness and pungency are at most 5, that is at most 2 points above the median for fruitiness. According to the specification, this gives it its balanced character. It must have no sensory defects.

The acidity is at most 0.8 %, the peroxide value at most 15 meq O₂/kg. The specification highlights the low oxidation values, with a K268 value of at most 0.18. Each label carries a code made up of the first two letters of the name (ΣΗ), the serial number of the container and the last two digits of the year of production.

Production

The oil is obtained solely by mechanical means from Koroneiki olives grown in the area. The variety prefers a hot, dry climate and is sensitive to cold. When pruning in winter or spring before a year with an expected large harvest, certain shoots are removed to avoid alternate bearing. The olives are harvested when they change colour from yellowish green to black-violet; their oil content is then as high as possible and the oil rich in aromatic substances.

The olives are usually transported in loosely woven sacks made of food-grade material or in plastic crates so that air can circulate; plastic sacks are prohibited. At most 48 hours pass between harvest and milling, processing takes place at below 27 °C (cold extraction), and the oil is stored in suitable containers.

Origin & history

The area lies at the eastern tip of Crete and is mainly mountainous. The climate is Mediterranean, with long hours of sunshine of over 2,800 hours a year, little rain, which falls mainly from October to March, and low humidity. Winds blow from the north, north-west and south all year round. There are no large temperature fluctuations; the annual average temperature is 18 to 20 °C.

The soils are mainly calcareous: red earths and stony soils of weathered limestone, humus-carbonate soils in the lowlands and karstic valley soils on the Chandras plateau. According to the specification, calcareous soil and plenty of sun increase the content of aromatic substances in the olives, and oil from hilly areas is considered of higher quality and keeps longer. In addition, there is the long tradition of olive growing in the area. According to the specification, the oil has won awards several times at national and international competitions, including three prizes at the “Mario Solinas” competition of the International Olive Council.