Olive Varieties
Cordovil
Cordovil de Serpa is the most emblematic and representative variety of the Moura region. Essential in the production of Azeite de Moura DOP, olive oil extracted from Cordovil olives is usually bitter and spicy, with leafy green sensations reminiscent of tomato stalks. It is valued for its high oleic acid content, which gives it high stability. Trees of the Cordovil de Serpa variety are usually medium-low and their fruit is large.
Galician
It is the most widespread traditional variety in Portugal, and is also one of the varieties required for the production of Azeite de Moura DOP. As a medium-sized tree, it is very vigorous and bears small fruit that is very resistant to detachment. When picked green it has a green apple fruitiness, with slight bitterness and spiciness; when picked ripe it has an almond and dried fruit fruitiness, with considerable sweet sensations and no bitterness or spiciness. It is considered a very mild oil with great stability.
Verdeal Alentejo
Trees of the Verdeal variety are medium-sized and have large fruit. It usually produces low and alternating yields of olives, and its entry into production is late, as is the ripening of its fruit which, because it remains green until the end of the season, gives this variety its name. The olive oil extracted from this variety is characterized by considerable green, bitter and spicy sensations and is the third variety used in the production of Moura PDO olive oil.
Charging
Originally from Trás-os-Montes, it is the traditional Portuguese variety most commonly used in modern olive grove systems. The olive tree is medium-sized and produces medium-sized fruit that is easy to remove, although it rarely falls naturally. The oils obtained from it are usually harmonious and balanced, with notes of green grass, green banana and dried fruit, combined with sweet, bitter and spicy sensations.
Arbequina
It originated in Catalonia and is currently the most widespread variety in the world. Due to its low vegetative vigour and early ripening, it is the variety most commonly used in the hedge system and, consequently, one of the most suitable for mechanized harvesting. Olive oils extracted from this variety are usually smooth and fruity, with notes of green tomato and dried fruit, despite their low stability.
Picual
The Picual variety is the most representative of the world's largest producing region - Jaén, Andalusia, Spain. It is a medium-sized tree, well adapted to the modern management system of canopy olive groves. The olives of this variety produce olive oils with high levels of oleic acid and polyphenols, which are highly stable. Sensorially, these olive oils are bitter and spicy, with notes of green tomato branches and fig leaves when picked green.