The renowned Ex Albis olive oil, produced by the Chiavalon company from Istria, was pronounced the 13th best organic olive oil in the world just last week by the assocation World Best Olive Oils, reports Jutarnji on August 9, 2017.
The Chiavalon brothers set off on a mission to make olive oil of superior quality back in 1997, led by a belief that Istria has potential to improve its position on the global olive oil map. Twenty years later,
"After our father died, we inherited 30 olive trees and 800 vines. We thought to go into winemaking at first, but as building wine cellars implied a hefty investment, we started to think about the olives. I couldn't fathom how the ancient Romans could have produced oil for the emperor himself, and yet we had to use what's basically rancid oil", said Sandi Chiavalon.
If the scale didn't tip in favour of olives, we wouldn't be so lucky to know the series of six superior olive oils they make today: Ex Albis, Organic, Mlado, JRE Blend, and two new blends: Atilio and Romano. Atilio is a very intense, bitter and aromatic oil that pairs well with meat, while Romano is a mild, fruity oil created to be paired with fish. Both new blends are the result of the Chiavalons' wish to introduce regular use of extra virgin olive oil to wider audiences.
The names have been chosen in honour of their late grandfathers: Atilio was born in a little village of Kinkeli and used to be a big fan of all types of meat dishes, while Romano, born to a very poor family in Vodnjan, used every opportunity to enjoy seafood. "I'll never forget his story about the family eating polenta they soaked in oil used to fry a couple of sardines, as they didn't have the money to buy more than that", said Sandi.
The Chiavalon brothers produced 16 tonnes of olive oil last year, half of that quantity exported to the international market; their oils have become popular in Japan and Thailand in recent years. Judging by the number of awards, Istria has serious players blazing a trail on the global olive oil scene.
Photo credit: Sandi Chiavalon Facebook
