Traditionally Portuguese oil was very rustic in character often with the black olive or charcuterie-like aroma characteristic of “fusty” olive oil. Fusty oils are the result of leaving piles of picked olives to stand in the sun for long periods before processing. Anaerobic fermentation starts up in the centre of the pile and is responsible for this particular aroma.

Fustyness is not picked up by acidity tests or peroxide tests, indeed fusty oils often have low acidity and peroxide scores. It is a fault which is picked up on the palate. Some people, the Portuguese and the people of the Vallee des Baux in southern France among them, do not consider fustyness to be a fault but it is deemed so by the International Olive Oil Council and by the European Union.

In recent years a number of Portuguese producers have endeavoured to produce not only fault free but also top quality oils which can hold their own with the best Spanish or Italian oils and their success rate is on the increase.

Olive oils are produced in most parts of Portugal but in export terms the Tras Os Montes region in the north of the country is an area to look out for. It is quite varied in character taking in the high plateau with rounded hills in the north, the rugged hills of Mirandella and the steep mountain sides and valleys of the Upper Douro. Olive varieties include Cordovil, Verdeal, Madual, Niginha and Cobrancosa among others.

Further south the Ribentejo is also producing some very good quality oils. Here Galega and Cobrancosa varieties are joined by Arbequina, Picual and Blanqueta to give some more aromatic tones to the oils. Galega comes even more into its own as you move even further south into the Alentejo region. This variety is often considered to be the typical Portuguese variety and can indeed perform well alone but I have to say that my own personal opinion is that it does better when carefully blended with other varieties.

One of the outstanding producers in Portugal today is Celso Madeira and the family run firm of CARM. The Madeiras have developed a range of premium brands, some of which are named after family estates or quintas. They are all of high quality and some of them are outstanding. Other producers who’s oils I have tasted and enjoyed recently include, in no particular order, the following:

Quinta do Carrascal: Sardeiro extra virgin olive oil. This is a DOP Tras-os-Montes oil which is produced organically. This oil is predominantly nutty in character with apples. The family also produce Val D’Ondel extra virgin olive oil, another DOP oil with a slightly different mix of olive varieties and a more fruity fruit taste .

Rainha Santa bottle oils from the Alentejo and from the Tras-os-Montes regions. I have not tasted the Alentejo oil this year but the Tras-os-Montes oil has a very distinctive aroma and flavour with tropical fruits and ripe pears.

The Meneres family, also in the Tras-os-Montes region have been producing oil for some generations. Their Romeu oil is produced organically. Pears and tropical fruits in evidence here too with some nuts and lightly bitter herbs.

The Santos-Lima family, based in the Ribentejo region, started bottling their own extra virgin olive oil under the Quinta Vale de Lobos label in 2004 and are already beginning to win awards. The aromas are aromatic and fresh with nuts and caramel.

Another distinctive oil is Cortes de Cima which comes from the Moura region in southern Portugal. It is produced by Carrie and Hans Jorgensen from their own Cobrancosa olives which grow on 50 hectares of land adjacent to their vineyards.