OLIVES

decade ago we started planting an olive grove at Brick Bay, for the aesthetic qualities of the silvery green trees themselves, and for the potential fruit and oil harvest.

Our first varieties planted were the Spanish Manzanillo, Ascolano and Verdale, to be followed several years later by the Israeli Barnea plus Piccione di uovo, Picual and Souri. More recent plantings have concentrated on the Italian varieties of Frantoio and Leccino plus some Koroneiki.

The Barnea has proved less than successful, leggy specimens of great growth and little fruit which will be replaced in 2003 by the Italian Frantoio and Leccino.

We are discovering in our climate, the trees produce a fine crop only every other year, but we are hoping, as the Italian varieties come on stream, that they will crop well in the year that our original trees are resting! This way we will be able to produce fine olive oil on an annual basis.

The 2007 release is a blend of Verdale, Ascolano, Manzanilla and our Italian varieties, predominantly Frantoio and Leccino. The fruit was hand-picked and cold-pressed with the resulting extra-virgin oil a distinctive green colour, with an elegant buttery palate and a restrained peppery finish.

Our 2007 oil has now sold out. No oil was made in 2008 following a poor fruit set.