Oro del Desierto

Desert Gold Oil

The Oil Mill

Aceite de Almería, a very particular extra virgin olive oil. Organic EVOO from cold extraction and early harvest.

It literally occurs in the desert where it practically never rains. It seems impossible but this is paradoxically what makes it one of the most awarded extra virgin olive oils in the world.

Four types of monovarietal olive oil are produced, Picual, Arbequina, Lechín and Hojiblanca.

Extra virgin olive oil lovers use them differently depending on the dish they prepare.

Furthermore, possibly the most appreciated is the Coupage, a mixture of these other varieties, the result of the “alchemy” of the mill master.

Thanks to this permanent dryness, it has been necessary to develop controlled irrigation technology, or drop or drop.

This allows to measure exactly the water that the olive tree drinks. Stressing it in summer so that its olives are dense in fat. And opening the tap at night, in order to limit evaporation.

In addition, the desert climate is very aggressive with typical pests such as the Olive Fly. These pests do affect other areas of the Peninsula and are devastating.

These insects, which deposit their larvae inside the olive, need a temperate climate and a minimum of water. Exactly what they don’t find in the Tabernas Desert.

The keys, irrigation and pest control

These two circumstances, development control during the year of the olive and pest control, are the key.

This allows Rafael Alonso, owner of the plantation, to predict its production with great accuracy. No surprises, and its consequent price fluctuations.

This allows us to control with great precision the water that each olive tree “drinks” throughout the year, opening and closing the “tap” as needed.

It is a proprietary patent that consists of placing a 50cm long tube deep so that moisture reaches the root system of the tree.

In this way, evaporation is limited and water consumption reductions of up to 30% are achieved. This patent has received different awards: Eco-oliva 004, Entrepreneurs Technological Development Council Award 2003, and the IX Accésit Andrés Núñez de Prado 2007.

Being independent of the weather factor is a huge advantage for us. Contrary to what happens in practically all oil mills, and in general in any fruit and vegetable crop.