Coleman Collection #26

PRODUCER

Terra Creta

CULTIVAR

Koroneiki

Harvest Date

October 2021

REGION

Crete, Greece

Trailblazing Terra Creta, founded in 2001 in the western province of Chania, fuses tradition with innovation to produce phenomenal monocultivar Koroneiki extra virgin olive oil. Early season hand harvesting while the fruit is still 95% lemony-green sacrifices quantity in favor of purity.

After being brought to the mill, each olive batch is meticulously registered with barcode traceability for purposes of both quality and classification. Before cold extraction and within six hours of harvest, using a combination of machinery tailored specifically for Terra Creta produced in Crete, Germany, and Italy the olives undergo malaxation (slow churning or mixing) for fewer than 20 minutes at temperatures below 27 degrees Celsius. The oil is then filtered to remove impurities before storage in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks.

Cretan cuisine is the basis of the “blue zone” diet, created by Dr. Ancel Keys in the late 1950’s following an extensive seven country study. A key diet component was the substitution of olive oil for butter, seed oils and animal fat. Extra virgin olive oil is a raw fruit juice containing high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, polyphenols, phytosterols, and vitamin E. Per capita, healthy Cretans annually consume over twenty-five liters of olive oil, proving it’s the ultimate sauce for cooking, frying, and finishing.

Olive oil is the backbone of Greek mythology. Olive tree cultivation in the region dates to around 3000 BC. From the oil ancient Greeks prepared medicines, lamp oil, personal hygiene products, perfumery, and other cosmetics. Today there are 32 PDO/PGI (protected designation of origin/protected geographic indication) regions, meaning the olives were grown, harvested, extracted, and bottled in a specific area using traditional production methods. The intent is to protect the unique cultivars and agricultural practices of their respective appellation.

The Koroneiki oil we’ve selected has aromas of freshly cut grass and green apple skin and a rich mouthfeel ending in a medium bodied finish that slowly trails off in the throat. The cause of this peppery sensation – considered a quality attribute – is oleocanthal, a natural phenolic compound with both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This oil is best utilized raw, poured directly over your favorite cuisines.

Despite hundreds, if not thousands of documented years of winemaking, Greek wine is often lost in the shuffle of the European wine conversation. It is often difficult to find other than perhaps a few bottles on your local wine shop’s bottom shelves. You can be confident though that what’s produced and exported is for the price likely good quality.

The majority of Greece’s vineyards are centered in Macedonia, Peloponnese, Santorini, and Crete. Whites, reds, sparkling, and dessert wines abound, but the flinty, steely, and saline whites from indigenous grapes – Assyrtiko, Robola, and Liatiko – make Greece a unique stop for your next wine adventure. Seek out producers Alexakis, Karavitakis, Lyrarakis, and Daskalaki with approachable offerings both red and white.