Coleman Collection #37

PRODUCER

Castillo de Canena

CULTIVAR

Picual

Harvest Date

October, 2024

REGION

Jaen, Spain

   It is a challenge to produce world-class oil amidst a sea of cheap swill.  But from the quiet and unspoiled hilltop village of Canena, Paco and Rosa Vaño seamlessly fuse quantity with quality, tradition with innovation. They promote biodiversity by reforesting with seventeen different trees and thirty five beehives, compost with sheep manure, generate 2400 tons of biomass to reduce their carbon footprint and collect rainwater from a 500,000 cubic hectometer dam to irrigate their trees.

   Jaen is the largest human planted tree forest in the world.  Sixty million olive trees produce 20% of global olive oil production.  Its landscape is dominated by the cuspidate Picual olive, stemming from the word Pico meaning pointed.  There is also Arbequina, Cornicabra, Hojiblanca and the rare Royal olive scattered akimbo throughout the vast and disparate landscape.

   We’ve obtained the cream of the crop – a first week’s harvest Picual oil with distinct undertones of green tomato leaf.  The olives are cold extracted when 85% lemony green at 18 degrees Celsius to preserve their volatile aromas and polyphenols.  Early harvest oils were reserved throughout antiquity to nobility as they produced lower yields while packing a vibrant punch of fresh herbs, pleasant bitterness and an elongated spice.  The cause of this spicy peppery sensation – considered an attribute of high-quality olive oil – is oleocanthal, a natural phenolic compound that has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.  Best utilized in raw form when the intent is for the oil to cut through and brighten up the dish, pairing well with soups, beans, vegetables, grilled seafood or meat, and even desserts, such as dark chocolate or vanilla ice cream.

   Castilla – La Mancha is a winemaking zone just a stone’s throw north of Jaen.  It is Spain’s largest area for wine production.  Producers focus on indigenous grapes Bobal, Tempranillo, and Monastrell to craft a variety of interesting red wines that offer great value and quality.

   Spain is one of the few European countries that use American oak barrels for wine maturation.  The results are aromas of coconut, dill, and lanolin in the finished wines.  French oak, on the other hand, tends to impart stronger aromas of vanilla and cream into the finished product.  For a unique take on Spanish wine, look for wines made from Monastrell.  The wines are powerful, intense, and brooding, with rich fruit flavors and tannic finishes – ideal for winter’s fare of braised meats, heavy soups, and rich cheeses.  Seek out producers Bodegas Juan Gil, Lavia, and Finca Bacara.