South Africa's most awarded extra virgin olive oil, Mardouw EVOO and XXV is made from olives grown in a Mediterranean climate and fertile soil at the foothills of the Langeberg Mountains in the Breede River Valley near Swellendam
Oil of the olive®
Olive oils are obtained from the fruit of the olive tree (Olea europaea) solely by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil under conditions, particularly thermal conditions, that do not lead to alterations in the oil, and which have not undergone any treatment other than washing, decantation, centrifugation and filtration. It consists mainly of oleic acid, with smaller amounts of other fatty acids including linoleic acid and palmitic acid.
Extra virgin?
Olive oil is only ‘Extra Virgin’ if its natural free acidity is below 0.8% and its peroxide value below 20mEq/kg. That’s the international standard, established by the International Olive Council. When you buy Mardouw extra virgin olive oil you can rest assured that you buy certified, award-winning quality: Mardouw’s annual lab results are consistently below this standard, certifying and guaranteeing the premium quality of our products. In fact, we are so proud of the certified purity of our products, that we print the lab results of every harvest on our bottles!
Mediterranean Mardouw
Mediterranean climate and soil conditions at the foothills of the Langeberg Mountains in the Breede River Valley in the Western Cape of South Africa, and blending of the best cultivars, gentle hand harvesting at optimal ripeness and careful cold extraction within 24 hours after harvest, ensure the unique, fruity characteristics of Mardouw Olive Estate’s premium olive products.
Cold pressed
‘Cold-pressed’ means that the entire process from crushing to decanting, settling and storing is temperature-controlled. This is important for olives to retain all of their flavour, aroma, and nutritional values. While ‘cold-pressed’ usually refers to temperatures below 28°C, we keep them well below 20°C throughout the production process.
Naturally good for you
Extra virgin olive oil is packed with the potent antioxidants polyphenols and flavonoids. These antioxidants nourish the skin optimally and protect against premature ageing of the skin. They also protect your skin from harmful external influences such as air pollution and against the effects caused by excessive UV radiation. View our Mardouw Skincare range
How to taste
The International Olive Council (IOC) has developed a system for the objective organoleptic (tasting) assessment of olive oil in order to determine an oil’s quality and commercial trade value. This assessment method is based on panels of trained tasters recognizing the absence and/or presence of specific positive and negative (defective) attributes. Desirable traits include bitter, nutty, creamy, grassy, floral and fruity flavours, while dreggy, cucumber, yeasty, dirty and bland flavours are undesirable traits.