The Protected Designation of Origin Montoro-Adamuz is among Europe’s highest quality foods
Brussels approves the inclusion of olive oil from the protected designation of origin Montoro-Adamuz among Europe’s high quality foods.
It covers 55,000 hectares of olive groves situated in the Cordoban Sierra Morena. This hundred-year-old olive grove is famous for its quality and the great stability of its oils. Thanks to their high polyphenol content they have enjoyed historical prestige since time immemorial.
Adamuz, 20 December 2010. Regulation (EU) No. 1215/2010 of the Commission dated 17 December 2010 has been published, which enters the designation into the register of Protected Designations of Origin and of Protected Geographical Indications (Montoro-Adamuz PDO).
After a long journey taking more than 14 years, the desired objective has been achieved, namely the recognition of the magnificent qualities of Montoro-Adamuz oil. This is thanks to the work carried out by the Cordoban Sierra Cordoba Rural Development Group together with the oil mills, cooperatives and the Hojiblanca Group, who have managed to unite the main food product grown in our mountain area under the same quality name (PDO Montoro-Adamuz).
To the north of the Guadalquivir River stand olive groves full of history that surround the Cordoban Sierra Morena. Oils that date back to Roman times and that were taken to Rome along the once navigable Guadalquivir are now recognised with the Protected Designation of Origin.
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In Roman Times the oil from this region was sent to Rome as part of what were then known as “oils from Baetica”, Baetica being one of the Roman regions. It was transported by water, along the Guadalquivir River. The oil mills of the Sierra de Adamuz y Montoro Mountain Range, which used beam presses and had their heyday in the nineteenth century, are one of the greatest industrial archaeology assets in the province of Cordoba.
The municipalities covered by the Designation of Origin are those of Adamuz, Montoro, Espiel, Hornachuelos, Obejo, Villaharta, Villanueva del Rey and Villaviciosa de Córdoba.
The Olivar de Sierra mountain olive grove is in a practically unique location, where the olive groves are integrated into their natural environment. This rugged terrain hinders agricultural mechanisation and this is why they still use traditional cultivation techniques, trying to avoid erosion through non-tilling techniques and maintaining spontaneous plant cover in the areas not occupied by olive trees.
In short, the extra virgin olive oils from the Montoro-Adamuz region, based on the main Picual and native Nevadillo Negro varieties, are the result of the interaction between the beautifully preserved geographical environment and the human factor, with cultivation techniques that are traditional and environmentally friendly.
The main varieties of the Designation of Origin Montoro-Adamuz are Picual (Nevadillo Blanco) and Nevadillo Negro, which produce very specific oils with a high content of polyphenols and natural antioxidant agents, very beneficial for the health.
The high content of polyphenols and natural antioxidant agents gives them some unique and extraordinary qualities, very beneficial for the health in the event of inflammation, thrombosis and other diseases such as arteriosclerosis and arterial hypertension, or in other words, they contribute to preventing cardiovascular risk.