from olive harvesting to olive oil bottling
We established Moulin Castelas in 2002, modeled after a wine cellar. Indeed, the production of olive oil closely resembles that of wine. Take it from a winemaker’s daughter! The harvesting of perfectly ripe olives, the extraction of juices, the blending of varieties… everything follows a similar approach.
We chose to equip ourselves with our own mill to master the entire production process, from selecting the olive harvest date to the manufacturing method and blending. This allows us to extract the best from each variety and, above all, to create an olive oil that reflects our vision of this elixir.
Like certain winemakers, we strive to highlight the fruit and crispness of the olive in our oil, while imparting a clear, pure, and refined profile. A bit of this philosophy flows into our bottles…
The harvest takes place from mid-October to the end of November. Discover all the steps, from olive harvesting to olive oil bottling.
and traceability
Upon arrival at the mill, the olives are unloaded into the defoliator. This machine operates like a powerful blower with conveyor belts to remove leaves and branches.
The olives are then weighed and identified by orchard, variety, and arrival time: this ensures traceability.
of the olives
The crusher is the key element of our facility. To preserve the components of the olive that give the oil its aromas and flavors, it performs a gentle crushing.
A slow action pushes the olives through a first screen that pre-crushes, then a second screen gently finishes the crushing without heating the paste.
The olives are crushed with their pits, as the pit contains an antioxidant, acting as a natural preservative.
of the paste
The resulting paste then goes into the malaxer. The malaxer is a tank containing an auger that allows the paste to be kneaded for 20 to 30 minutes to release the vacuoles containing the olive oil. During this phase, the temperature is maintained below 27°C, hence the term cold extraction. We perform a short malaxation to transfer all the fruitiness of the olive pulp to our oil.
by decanter
The decanter separates solid elements from liquid elements. The operation is carried out by centrifugation in a large metal cylinder rotating at high speed. The paste is pressed against the walls of the drum.
The lighter oil is collected in the center of the cylinder.
The solid compounds, called “wet pomace,” are recycled as compost in our orchards to provide nutrients for the trees.
in the Vallée des Baux de Provence
Producer and Miller in Provence. We welcome you every day, in the heart of the Vallée des Baux de Provence, under the protective gaze of the castle, for a gourmet escape against the backdrop of a Van Gogh painting.
