Fruité Noir is made by harvesting their four varieties when mature and then leaving them in a controlled environment to allow them to ferment. This process is known as “coufi.”

All olive oils are checked before they are bottled, and this checking involves a chemical analysis and an organoleptic (taste) test. To be classified as Extra Virgin, the acidity, expressed in terms of oleic acid, must be less than 0.8%, and the tasting panel must find no faults in the oil. In this oil, they have technically found an organoleptic fault, “fusty”, as defined by the International Olive Oil Council, but this authoritarian “fault” is one that is loved by chefs worldwide, who appreciate its unique aromas and flavours, as do our customers at informal tastings. Therefore, this can only be called a ‘virgin olive oil’.

You may not think of this as an everyday oil, but once you start using it, you will be amazed how it elevates even a simply boiled new potato. Use it to remind you of those lazy, toasty, sunny days in Provence—with grilled sardines and red mullet, grilled peppers, and couscous. In the cooler days, we love it drizzled into a mushroom soup or when cooking that Italian wonder, osso buco.