FINCA ES GUINYENT – SOLIVELLAS – EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OILS

Over 750 million olive trees are cultivated worldwide, 95% of which are in the Mediterranean region. Responsible for more than one-third of the world’s production, Spain is the top producer of olive oil in the world. Olive oil is the main cooking oil in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea and is an essential part of the famous Mediterranean cuisine. Extra virgin olive oil is mostly used as a salad dressing and as an ingredient in salad dressings. It is also used with foods to be eaten cold. If uncompromised by heat, the flavor is stronger. It also can be used for sautéing.

The Solivellas family harvests and processes the olives at Es Guinyent farm, which is set in a privileged location to the north of Mallorca, in Alcúdia. The farm is situated very close to the sea and the Serra de Tramuntana  and the olives are cultivated in red, limy soils and enjoy a fresh, sea breeze which contributes greatly to the very special taste of this fine olive oil.

Sebastian Solivellas, second generation of the Solivellas family, explained that  50.000 bottles of Solivellas and Oli s’Illa are produced each season. Eighty percent is consumed in Spain, mainly on the Balearic Islands. Twenty percent is exported, primarily to central European countries, though more recently they have also been exported to Scandinavia and Canada. Solivellas is supplying some famous chefs such as March Fosh in Mallorca and Tim Mälzer for his restaurant which he opened in July 2009 “Bullerei” in Germany. 

The varieties cultivated at Solivellas are Arbequina, Picual, Hojiblanca and Picuda: the best varieties to obtain oils of maximum quality and whose distinctive characteristics and properties permit complex and balanced blends. Arbequina and Picual, which are cultivated for the elaboration of “Solivellas oli d’oliva extra verge” are collected during the first two weeks of November and offer an immense variety of flavors such as apple, artichoke, green herbs, almond, tomato, mint, ripe fruits, walnuts and banana. The Hojiblanca and Picuda are the ingredients of “Oli s’illa”, their collection takes places halfway through November and wild fruits, rosemary, fresh herbs, green apple and pear are part of the delightful flavors of this oil.The olive trees are grown on flat land that is easy to work, consisting of red limestone earth at sea level. The system of cultivation is adapted to the regulations of Integral Production, thereby respecting the flora and fauna of the surroundings. Collecting the olives early, when they are at their most healthy, ensures an oil of maximum intensity. The low yields of green olives mean a greater quality, aroma and more fruity taste. The olives are collected by working meticulously through all the branches. This is laborious job, but its compensation lies in causing the least amount  of damage to the fruit and new shoots.

The Denomination of Origin’s criteria guarantee that the oil has been cultivated and processed in Mallorca, an island whose physical and geographical features give rise to a high quality product. It also constitutes a brand which helps spread the word of Mallorca as a tourist destination, something which the Solivellas family considers very important. “It is important to emphasize the relationship between agro-alimentary products and farm maintenance, since the consumption of local goods contributes to the protection and maintenance of Mallorca’s rural landscape, which is of increasing importance to the tourist industry”, explains Sebastian and adds: the process is based on limited production and the early harvest of the olive, which means a more intense oil is obtained.

The Solivellas, registered under the Oil of Mallorca Denomination of Origin, and Oli s’Illa extra virgin olive oil, offer the palate a balanced oil which retains all the intensity and flavor of the olive itself

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