Varieties

Superb choices for you

We grow three different types of olives - Frantoio, Leccino & New Norcia - to produce our single variety Extra Virgin Olive Oils, each with their own distinctive culinary flavour.

Other producers tend to grow a variety of olives but press them all together. At Chapman Hill we pick and press each variety separately providing you with the rare opportunity to experience the distinctive properties of the three magnificent individual olive varieties we grow.

Our new season's oils have just been released, the oils are a reflection of the growing conditions experienced in the past year. We had our highest recorded rainfall and our trees have never looked happier. The gorgeous plump fruit has produced milder oils this year, but as ever, the varietal differences are quite apparent.

Frantoio

Frantoio is as Italian an oil as you can get. The word ‘Frantoio’ refers to the press that the entire town brings their fruit to in order to press the olives grown in their own groves, for their own personal use.

The 2011 Frantoio is a subtle buttery oil with pronounced freshly cut grass character and green banana and rocket notes. Moderate bitterness and pungency ending with mild pepper and a lingering buttery finish.

Best use: Frantoio is a versatile oil and perfect partner for salad leaves, summer tomatoes, fish and chicken.

En premise at Sarti Restaurant

Leccino

Leccino is an Italian varietal, and in it's homeland in the Tuscan hills it receives snow every two to three years. It reveres a cooler climate and so enjoys our Heathcote region winter.

The 2011 Leccino is the more robust of our oils, with wonderful aromas of sweet clover and almond blossom. A well balanced oil, with upfront rich and buttery mouth feel, mid palate nutty, subtle citrus and then a late peppery spice sensation.

Best use: This oil exhibits fresh seasonal produce at its best and is a superb partner for green vegetables, new season asparagus, pastas and rich braises.

En premise at La Luna Restaurant

New Norcia

New Norcia is a varietal that evolved through natural cross-pollination over a century ago at the New Norcia Monastery in Western Australia, where the Benedictine monks produced their own olive oil and baked their own bread. Only a handful of Australian groves propagate this variety, and the hot, dry summers and cold, windy winters of the region seem to suit it very well.

This full flavoured Australian varietal has upfront chilli, red pepper and herbaceous characters with a subtle hint of eucalyptus. The rich buttery viscosity of this oil carries moderate bitterness and a warming peppery finish.

Best use:

The New Norcia complements Middle Eastern Flavours, great Aussie Lamb, fennel and radicchio and chargrilled vegetables.

En premise at Il Bacaro Restaurant