Diary of a Miller, Citizen of the World…

The production season has begun, and for a miller who sets up operations here and there,

taking advantage of all the olive varieties the different Mediterranean terroirs have to offer, it's a life of a wandering performer—rich in encounters and at the mercy of the weather forecast for the months ahead...

«For 18:1 or the 'Limited Editions' I produce for a few chefs, the timing is extremely precise. I need to be there on the right day, in total harmony with the local miller who gives me 48 hours’ notice. In Tunisia, to produce the Orange and Lemon fruity varieties, the Moulin de Mech I created will start milling the olives from December 1st and continue until February for the late varieties.»

It’s a relationship of exchange and complete trust between people, which also gives birth to these monovarietal olive oils—typical and unique.

« Toledo, Córdoba, La Rioja in Spain, Douro in Portugal, and Haute-Provence are my homes for 3 months each year.»

Today, technology serves the miller, so his life is less complicated than that of his ancestors! The continuous chains are automated. It’s a job of management, control, and judgment to extract the best juice from fruit harvested at the perfect moment.

«I sort the olives, set the temperatures, control the malaxing times, and handle the settling tanks for static decantation without filtration."
Of course, everything revolves around taste, aroma, the sensory experience, and tasting every batch is essential. In a few words, my life is beautiful because it doesn’t tie me down to a workplace. My office is the world, the land, nature. I move, I execute, I delegate, I visit, I understand, and I act.»

— Alexis Muñoz