WHY PROPER STORAGE IS SO IMPORTANT

Extra virgin olive oil is a fresh, natural product. Light, heat, oxygen and time slowly break down its valuable flavours and antioxidants.
With proper storage, you can preserve its taste and quality for months longer.

• Light → destroys polyphenols
• Heat → accelerates ageing
• Oxygen → oxidation
• Time → inevitable maturation

The ideal storage location:

• Dark cupboard or pantry in a cool place – ideally 14–18 °C
• Far away from the hob, oven, dishwasher and windows

The ideal container:

• Dark glass or stainless steel canister
• Airtight seal
• No clear glass bottles for long-term storage

After opening:

• Always reseal immediately
• It is better to buy smaller bottles than large ones if you use little

Refrigerator – yes or no?:

• Possible, but not necessary
• Oil becomes solid and cloudy → this is not a loss of quality but a sign of high quality. It becomes clear again at room temperature
• Better for everyday use: cool, dark cupboard

Traditional olive groves promote biodiversity and protect soils from erosion. Deep roots provide erosion protection. The permanent natural ground cover of native grasses and flowers protects the soil from drying out.

Sustainable groves:

• allow wild herbs to grow
• integrate sheep or goats (natural grazing)
• provide habitat for birds, insects and soil organisms

In most regions of Portugal:

• family groves spanning generations
• local varieties adapted to microclimates
• hand harvesting instead of full mechanisation
• lower yields but higher resilience