Become an Olive Oil Sommelier for a day!
Just 20 minutes from Loutraki, you can visit OLEOSOPHIA Olive Garden & Olive Oil Tasting to explore the local olive variety of Manaki from award winning artisan producers and to become an Olive Oil Sommeliers for a day!!!
The family-owned olive grove is located at the village of Kalentzi, right at the foot of the mythical Mt. Fokas – the mountain where the Lion of Nemea was born! The village is known for its olive tree cultivation of the local Manaki variety – a unique olive variety that is cultivated only in our area and has a rich, fruity aroma and a well-balanced flavour. The local microclimate makes it ideal for the variety to prosper, while the producing family has been awarded for its quality in numerous international olive oil competitions and has been awarded the best Manaki variety in Greece.
In this activity, you will walk through a traditional olive grove and discuss about the olive tree as part of our heritage and culture, its contribution to history, mythology, economy and art while you will explore the Manaki trees – an olive variety that is delicate and rare. You will explore the cultivation and agricultural practices, the challenges that the trees and producers face and you will take a look at the lifecycle of olive oil from farm to table, understanding the complexity of producing artisan, high quality olive oil!
After your walk, you will enjoy an olive oil tasting session at the kiosk, while enjoying the view from the olive grove. You will smell and taste different olive oil samples and will discover the aromas and flavours with the guidance of the olive oil sommelier. You will unfold your senses as you will compare and evaluate the different samples to better understand the differences in quality as well as variety profile.
Leaving the experience, you will have:
- Learnt everything about olive oil categories and the basic principles of olive oil tasting
- Explored the fruitiness, pungency and bitterness of olive oil
- Learnt how to appreciate and taste olive oil to identify award winning qualities as well as negative traits and tell the difference
- Understood the role of olive oil in the Mediterranean diet in a holistic way
- Discovered the many health benefits of olive oil
- Found out how to shop for olive oil, how to store it and how to use it correctly
- Gained inspiration with food pairing, learning how to combine olive oil with food in order to elevate a simple dish into a gastronomic experience!
What’s included? Warm welcome!
- English speaking hostess & certified olive oil sommelier
- A relaxing walk inside our family olive garden where the local Manaki variety is cultivated at the foot of Mt. Fokas
- Myths & legends of the location
- Olive Oil Tasting workshop, led by our olive oil sommelier
- Tastings of different olive oil varieties & grades
- Food pairing of extra virgin olive oil with unexpected Greek flavours
- Lots of fun!
For more info click here
