Olive Oil Equilibre in YAM – The Magazine of Chefs

"Look for the typicity of a single variety of olive, cultivated organically or through responsible farming, naturally…"

This is the pursuit of Alexis Muñoz, creator of 100% natural single-variety olive oils.
A unique approach at a time when AOC (Controlled Designations of Origin) and other PDO (Protected Designations of Origin) olive oils are made from blends. But that’s not all. "The stage of maturity of the fruit matters just as much." There are three stages: green, which results in very herbal and pungent oils; ripe, for more balanced profiles; and late-harvest, yielding "juice" that’s rounder and more jammy.
Based on these two key parameters, Alexis Muñoz has created a public range, 18:1, as well as Limited Editions, primarily for professionals, such as Cédric Béchade, Anne-Sophie Pic, Christophe Hay, Mathieu Viannay…

EQUILIBRE

Among the Limited Editions, the olive grower and miller admits a strong preference for “Equilibre.” “An oil like no other!” The blame lies with climate change. It encourages an increase in fly populations and pushes producers to harvest the olives when they are green. In this case, the Arbequina olives are picked whole, at their optimal maturity, typically at the end of November, using electric combs or vibrators, so they can be processed within 5 to 6 hours, compared to the traditional 24 to 48 hours.

Because the worst enemy of the fruit is oxidation. There is no stone milling here either; instead, the olives are crushed and then extracted at an average temperature of 20°C in an anaerobic environment. Under these conditions, it takes 10 to 12 kg of Arbequina olives to produce 1 liter of olive oil, which is twice the usual amount. In the end, the oil, with its Granny Smith apple aromas, reveals itself as very elegant and easily appreciated by all—whether drizzled over a beautiful piece of fish, green asparagus, English-style cooked potatoes, or toasted bread… “For me, it’s perfection!”