Following the announcement of the 2020 #SAOliveAwards & #AbsaTop10 Olive Oils Awards in South Africa, we are presenting a series of interviews with each Gold-winning producer.
Absa Top 10 Winner: Chaloner EVOO – The Peregrine Limited Edition
SA Olive Gold Winners: Chaloner EVOO – Mountain Oil
Name of the oil: The Peregrine Limited Edition
Style: Intense
Cultivars used for this oil: Nocellara, Coratina, Favalosa
Litres produced: 500 lt
Tasting notes: Fruit of green and ripe olives, olive leaf, green tomato, artichoke, green tea, dry herbs, and apple skin.
Best paired with which food: Chaloner The Peregrine is a very fruity, fresh, well balanced, intense oil, with aromas of green tomato and herbs and pairs well with stronger flavoured dishes. Serving suggestions: Serve with fresh ciabatta to experience the tasting notes of the oil. Drizzle over salads with peppery leaves such as rocket and watercress, and caprese salad. Roasted tomatoes, onions and peppers. Vegetables with stronger flavours such as broccoli and brussels sprouts, spicy foods, hot soups, stews, and red meat.
Name of the oil: EVOO Mountain Oil
Style: Medium
Cultivars used for this oil: Barnea, Coratina, Mission, Nocellara, Frantoio, Leccino, Kalamata
Litres produced: 6000 lt
Tasting notes: Fruit of green and ripe olives, olive leaf, artichoke, rocket, pine needles, almond, and walnut.
Best paired with which food: Chaloner EVOO is a very versatile, fresh, green, grassy, nutty and well balanced medium oil that will pair well with a wide variety of dishes. Serving suggestions: serve with fresh ciabatta to experience the tasting notes of the oil. Drizzle over salads to accentuate the fresh vibrancy of the oil – and add a splash of quality vinegar. Roasted root vegetables, pastas and risottos. Add to pestos and tapenades.
Producer history: The Falcon’s Nest Farm in the Blaauwklippen Valley of the Stellenbosch Mountains is home to Perry and Karen Chaloner where they produce their award-winning olive oils and other artisanal products. When they purchased the farm in 1992, there was nothing apart from an expanse of land overgrown with alien vegetation. After seven years of hard work and patience, the farm started to flourish with fruit trees bearing olives, plums, lemons and seville oranges.
As well as enjoying a Mediterranean climate perfectly suited to cultivating olives, the farm falls within a temperate micro-climate region that’s unique to Stellenbosch. While this means lower yields, the spin-off benefit is enhanced taste. Another distinguishing feature of the farm’s site is its decomposed granite soils, which lend the olive oils their diverse and unusual flavours.
Over the past two decades, the initial half hectare of olive trees has grown to 7000 and includes nine different varietals. Each is bottled individually, as well as various cultivars blended to produce the Chaloner EVOO Mountain oil and The Peregrine Limited Edition oil.
Short introduction to the oil maker & his/her comment on the 2020 harvest: Perry Chaloner is the man behind the Chaloner range of artisanal products. He began experimenting with traditional jam recipes using the fruits that were flourishing on his 14-hectare farm to create preserves and tapenades with unique flavour combinations. He shared his creations with friends and family and their response was overwhelmingly positive and encouraging. And so, based on the finest farm-grown ingredients, the range of innovative, hand-crafted, premium quality products were developed.
Chaloner’s passion and dedication to quality extends to every aspect of the development process and as such he has control of the whole production line – from farm to bottle to table. The olives are grown in granite soils aided by biodynamic cultivation, pressed within 24 hours of picking and bottled on the estate.
Where to buy: Available at selected major retailers and delis across the country or shop on the website. The Chaloner EVOO The Peregrine available online only.
Tel: +27 21 880 0130
Email: info@chaloner.co.za
Website: https://chaloner.co.za/shop/
For more SA Olive Awards winners click here.
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