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.

Name of the oil: Serrado Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Style: Medium

Cultivars used for this oil: Frantoio, Leccino, Coratina, Mission
Litres produced: 4,500 lt

Producer history: Serrado Olive Estate is situated on the farms De Luc, Craberrie and Wolfkop which are have been historically exclusively used for livestock. The farms are situated in the Eastern Free State at an altitude of 1,570m. We have severe winters, with temperatures dipping as low as -7 °C and unpredictable summers making Serrado Olive Estate a pioneer in growing olives in the area. The olive grove was started in 2007 by Oscar de Freitas, being a local farming family, we seek ways to invest in the local community and have created a new labour intensive agricultural activity in the Eastern Free State, which has led to the creation of job opportunities since we started producing olive oil in 2012 with Serrado being awarded various gold awards over the years.

Short introduction to the oil maker & his/her comment on the 2020 harvest: The 2020 harvest was a challenging one, given the severe water constraints and late cold snap during flowering. It was a very long picking season compared to normal due to the very strange weather conditions experienced, but special attention was paid to ensure olives were picked at the optimal time to ensure quality. The oil was produced By Oscar de Freitas and blended by Julian de Freitas.

Tasting notes: Medium / well balanced Extra Virgin Olive Oil with the following positive attributes of fruit of green and ripe olives, olive leaf, almond, pine seed, walnut and artichoke.

Best paired with which food: Homemade olive oil sour dough pizza topped with bacon, chevin and fresh rocket drizzled with Serrado Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Where to buy: From our online store, www.serrado.co.za and selected Spars and delicatessens.

Contact Details:
Email: info@serrado.co.za

For more SA Olive Awards winners click here.
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