Rio Largo
Our Estate
Rio Largo Olive Estate has 18,000 trees made up of various cultivars; Frantoio, Leccino, Coratina, and FS-17. All cultivars originate from Italy and are known to complement each other in making delicious, well-balanced olive oil.
The cultivars ripen at different times during the harvest which determines that olives are handpicked at optimal ripeness rather than being faced with all fruit ripening simultaneously and then having to harvest some unripe and some overripe.
The estate is located on the banks of the Breede River in the “Little Karoo” with hot days, cool nights, and the wind doctor protecting the trees. Irrigation is on demand from the Brandvlei Water Scheme.
Making quality oil
The Groves
Rio Largo Olive Estate adopts biological farming methods for sustainable agriculture by “putting more back than you take out” together with an overall concern for protecting the environment for future generations.
The Process
Using a state-of-the-art MORI TEM processing plant, with satellite links to Giorgio Mori in Italy, Nick Wilkinson, Master Miller, produces some of the finest cold extracted extra virgin olive oil in South Africa.
Frantoio is the dominant cultivar with good oil yields and a fruity flavour, Coratina is pungent, strong, and peppery whilst Leccino is very smooth and mild. Such cultivars have become the preferred blend for Italian oils and were specifically developed for high-quality oil.
