Every year, as October approaches, something shifts in the air. We look at the trees more often, we hold the olives in our hands, we talk it over, and then we talk it over again. This year, though, the conversation led somewhere new.
This year's harvest begins on October 5th, earlier than in any previous year.
We're not doing it to be different. We're doing it because we want to see for ourselves (and above all, taste for ourselves) just how far a truly early harvest Koroneiki oil from Messinia can go.
Why so early?
When olives are picked while still green, before they fully ripen, they hold on to their most vibrant qualities. It's a choice that comes at a cost, but it also has a lot to give.
What an early harvest brings:
- More polyphenols: green olives are richer in natural antioxidants such as oleocanthal and oleacein. This is exactly what we want to measure this year, and see how high we can go.
- An intense, "green" flavor: fresh-cut grass, artichoke, green tomato, olive leaf.
- Bitterness and a peppery kick in the throat: that little sting that makes you cough is a sign the polyphenols are there.
- Very low acidity: healthy fruit, a quick trip to the mill, a clean oil.
- Longer-lasting freshness: the antioxidants protect the oil itself, helping it stay fresh for longer.
And what we give up:
- Far less oil: green olives still hold very little oil, so it takes many more kilos of fruit for every liter.
- More work, fewer bottles: a conscious choice of quality over quantity.
A test we'll all be able to taste
To be honest, we don't yet know exactly what this year will bring. We have our hopes and we have our experience, but nature always has the final say.
What we do know is that a difference like this won't just show up in lab results. It will show up in the first spoonful, on a slice of bread, in a simple salad. We'll all be able to taste it.
Stay tuned
If you're reading this before October 5th, you're among the first to know.
- Over the coming days, we'll be sharing moments from the harvest on our social channels, from the grove to the mill.
- You'll be the first to hear the lab results as soon as we have them.
- And of course, you'll find out when this year's oil will be available.
Follow us, turn on notifications, and stay on standby. Our duck is already pulling on its boots. 🦆
With excitement,
The Yapapi Team