Category: News

The Weekend Food Festival once again brought the best world chefs to Istria and our town Vodnjan. 

Last weekend in Rovinj, the three-day festival showcased the latest culinary trends and provided opportunities for attendees to mingle with first-class chefs from all around the world. The culinary industry is rapidly evolving, and this festival is a great place to see what the future of gastronomy holds. We participated in panels and workshops related to olive oil, and it was great to see that we are on the right track, following the development of this industry and that all our partners are world-class.

The highlight of the event was the press trip held on the last day of the festival. Thirty top chefs and food journalists, such as Dabiz Munoz, David Constable, Joao Oliveira, Kaja Sajović, Frank Heylen, Malgorzata Minta, and our favourite Hrvoje and Nastasja Petrić, took an excursion to the south of Istria. We began by exploring the Brijuni National Park, followed by an educational trip and lunch at the Verige location. The ancient ruins served as a stunning backdrop for numerous seafood delicacies paired with our extra virgin olive oils. We all enjoyed oysters, mussels, langoustines, carpaccio of premium white fish, sardines, and wild asparagus frittata paired perfectly with Matošević wines, and for dessert, we treated ourselves with Latus cheeses.

Afterwards, we returned to our olive oil mill in Vodnjan. There we had an amazing welcome drink – cocktails based on our Ex Albis extra virgin olive oil, Old pilots gin, Damijanić Teran wine, and tonic. Sandi then gave a brief presentation of our story and work methods, showed the olive mill and answered to all the questions from our guests. Next step was the tasting of four different olive oil blends. Sandi gave a short lesson on olive oil tasting, he talked about flavours and pairing oil with food, and recognizing key elements of extra virgin olive oil, such as smell and aroma. As a gift, we gave to each guest a special blend of EVOO that was created just for them with labels bearing their names.

It was great to see how world-class chefs understand the importance of olive oil in creating dishes, how they appreciate the role of enhancing flavours, and all the other benefits that olive oil brings to gastronomy. After the tasting, we headed to Vodnjan and a fair showcasing local products where oil producers, winemakers, coffee roasters, and ham producers offered tastings of their products. Vodnjan has a lot to offer, and with a population of 3.750, we have many small but high-quality producers whose products are of exceptional quality.

The last stop of the day was a visit to the Eco-museum Istrian de Dignan where the dinner was held. Chef Robert Perić prepared an amazing traditional menu for our guests and Lf Catering set up tables on three floors, so as not to disturb the statics of this old Vodnjan house. Eco-musem is is full of original objects from Vodnjan – from plates, spoons to kitchen setting and clothing. It was a truly authentic environment where everything breathes history. Chef Perić presented traditional Vodnjan dishes in several courses, from wild onion frittata, manestra with wild herbs, fuži pasta made from our flour with a pork and wild asparagus to stewed lamb. 

Each dish was paired with local wines and olive oils. Dessert came in several courses, ranging from cheesecake, amaretto cookie, pralines with olive oil to a selection of cheeses, where it was hard to decide whether the wine or homemade fruit liqueurs were the better match. Finally, everyone drank one „kacijola“ of traditional „Ruda“ – grappa with local herbs “for disinfection”, and the traditional „Supa“ – hot beverage made with olive oil, sugar, red wine, and grilled bread that was cooked on the old fireplace and served in a traditional bukaleta. 

We would like to thank our dear friends Hrvoje Petrić and his wife Nastasja for being such big promotors of local producers and cuisine, our partners who participated in organizing the entire event, the city of Vodnjan, and the chefs who gave us the opportunity to showcase our cuisine. 

We hope to see you all again next year!

Presentation of JRE Guide and Selection of JRE Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2023

The traditional assembly of the Croatian JRE Association was held this year as well, to among other things, select the wine and extra virgin olive oil that will be used in the kitchens of JRE restaurants throughout Croatia. The host of this two-day gathering, where the new JRE guide for 2023 was also presented, was the Boutique Hotel San Rocco in Brtonigla. Chefs, sommeliers, olive oil producers, winemakers, distillers, and other high-quality food producers gathered, united by their shared focus on top-quality ingredients.

On the first day, we presented three different blends of Chiavalon extra virgin olive oil from the 2022 harvest to the chefs of JRE restaurants in Croatia. Sandi gave them a brief lecture and tasting, discussing flavours, aromas, and combinations that could accentuate the taste and aroma of dishes, and how the oil could complement different types of cuisine.

Among the three samples, the first was of weaker intensity, the second of medium intensity, and the third with a pronounced bitter and spicy note. Chefs anonymously voted for sample number two, a blend of Buža and Rosignola. This medium-intensity, highly aromatic oil that can enhance the flavour of any food will soon be available on the tables of JRE restaurants and in our olive oil mill in Vodnjan. We believe that this blend of extra virgin olive oil will further emphasize the culinary masterpieces that can be found on the menus of all JRE restaurants.

The second day was devoted to the presentation of the JRE Guide 2023, tastings, introducing chefs to products from Croatian producers, cooking, and showcasing the impressive skills and talents of JRE chefs.

JRE – Jeunes Restaurateurs brings together over 350 restaurants and chefs in 15 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The energy among all these participants revolves around a passion for cooking, ingredients, and the inspiration they share. They place great emphasis on local, organic, and sustainable ingredients. For this reason, we are pleased to continue strengthening our cooperation year after year and to meet new faces who are paving the way for Croatian gastronomy.

We would like to thank the association for organizing and inviting us, the Kozlović winery, which presented their JRE Malvasia 2023, and all the chefs and restaurants who participated in the selection of oil for 2023: Restaurant Korak, San Rocco, Pergola, Dubravkin put, Boba, Zijavica, Navis, Badi, Monte, LD, Pelegrini, Boškinac, Draga di Lovrana, Foša, and Plavi Podrum.

Last week, you saw how we transport our olive oil overseas. Using specially designed thermo covers, we protect our olive oil against big temperature shocks during transportation. 

In this article, we’ll explore the impact of temperature on extra virgin olive oil and how to store it properly and use it effectively in cooking.

To store extra virgin olive oil for the longest possible time, it’s best to store it in a cool, dark place at a temperature between 14-18°C (57-64°F). This temperature range helps to slow down the oxidation process, which is the main cause of the oil’s degradation over time.

It’s also important to protect the oil from exposure to light, air, and heat, as these can all contribute to the oil’s degradation. Ideally, the oil should be stored in a dark, airtight container to minimize exposure to light and air.

In general, it’s best to use your extra virgin olive oil within 18 months of the production date, as the oil will begin to degrade over time even with proper storage. By following these storage guidelines, you can help to ensure that your oil stays fresh and flavorful for as long as possible.

But what about cooking with extra virgin olive oil? We will present to you two of the most important perspectives when it comes to cooking with olive oil

Smoking point

Assuming that it depends on personal preferences and price cannot be overlooked, in reality, olive oil is recommended for frying, even more so than seed oils. Olive oil is excellent for frying because it withstands high temperatures very well without producing harmful substances for health. Its smoke point, i.e. the temperature at which carcinogenic compounds are created, is around 210°C (410°F). For most seed oils, the temperature generally ranges from 160°C to 190°C (320°F to 374°F). 

The other two factors to consider are the concentration of polyunsaturated fats and the presence of antioxidants. In this case, olive oil has no contraindications, quite the opposite. It only contains a minimal amount of polyunsaturated fats, while it abounds in monounsaturated fats that are resistant to high temperatures. At the same time, the richness of antioxidants counteracts the chemical reaction (oxidation, to be exact) that occurs when the oil in combustion comes into contact with oxygen.

Extra virgin olive oil stability

On the other hand, one new  Australian study said that the stability of oil under heat is more important than the smoke point. The Australian study published in the ACTA Scientific Nutritional Health Journal studied how common cooking oils and fats broke down when heated for a very long time, or heated past their smoke points. The study found that extra virgin olive oil was more stable than saturated fats like coconut oils, and oils with high smoke points such as avocado oil. Researchers found that the smoke point of oil did not correlate to the oil’s performance when heated. Oils with low smoke points (such as coconut oil), or moderate smoke points (such as extra virgin olive oil), outperformed oils with higher smoke points. Extra virgin olive oil performed better than refined olive oil indicating that the antioxidants in the EVOO may be one of the reasons for its high stability.

In conclusion, no recognized definition of “high heat” cooking exists. Olive oil is safe to use in most home cooking methods including baking, frying, sauteing, roasting and grilling.

So, the most important thing, both in terms of smoke point and stability, is that extra virgin olive oil is always the best option for cooking.

And what about the freezing of extra virgin olive oil?

The phenomenon of extra virgin olive oil freezing begins when the temperature drops below 12°C (53.6°F) until it reaches a solid state. When temperatures drop even lower, between 4-5°C (39.2-41°F), the extra virgin olive oil becomes practically solid.

The oil solidifies simply because it contains a portion of saturated fatty acids. It is advisable to avoid this from happening because, once thawed, although there are no significant quality problems, the oil may become less stable to oxidation, rapidly lose its aromatic profile, and in the case of unfiltered oils, lose their turbidity so we’ll repeat once again: „To store extra virgin olive oil for the longest possible time, it’s best to store it in a cool, dark place at a temperature between 14-18°C (57-64°F).“

Dear friends and partners, we have come to the end of another year.

This is the moment when, after another full cycle, we evaluate everything we’ve done, accept the lessons we’ve learned, and celebrate the successes we’ve achieved. Also, this is another one of those moments when we thank from the bottom of our hearts every member of the Chiavalon team and family who is a part of every drop of our olive oil and every bottle on your tables. Without them, none of this would be possible.

Now is the time for going on vacation and spending some time with loved ones. We hereby inform you that we are working and sending your packages until December 24, and we will return to work on January 16, 2022. During our time off, our web shop will work normally, all orders will be received, and we will send them when we return to work, from January 16 onwards.

In the meantime, we wish you only the best for the upcoming holidays, may health, happiness and success accompany you in the New Year 2023. Thank you for your support during another year, for believing in us because this is what pushes us forward and helps us get a step higher every year.

Your Chiavalon Team

The 2022 olive harvest is in the full swing and after another year, a cycle has ended. This is a perfect moment to look back at the results of our work in 2021. When we summarize what we went through, experienced and achieved during the year, 2021 is the most successful year ever for our family in terms of awards and recognitions we have won.

The first prize we won in March was the “Extra Gold Medal” for our Organic and Istra blends in Bari at the International Competition for the Best Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the World – BIOL. Just a few days later, at the International Sol D’oro Competition in Verona, we won gold medal and a special award in the category of the best organically grown blend for our Organic.

After that, a successful series of awards, praises, and good results began. May brought us good news from New York where Ex Albis won gold in the category of Best Oils in the World for 2022 at the NYIOOC World Competition. Although 2021 was very demanding for us in terms of olive grove maintenance, weather and the number of olives, the effort, and the work paid off after all.

The good strike continued when the EVOOLEUM guide 2023 rated Organic with a high 89/100 points and was awarded the label “Best PDO Croatia”.

This was followed by the traditional Leone D’oro – International Olive Oil Competition on Lago di Garda. This competition is specialized in biodiversity, high quality production, and recognition of small producers of extra virgin olive oil. Their expert panel declared our blend Romano the best international blend of extra virgin olive oil in the world. Among the more important awards we would like to mention are those received by the International Olive Oil Council – IOC, which awarded our special blends Organic and Istra with a gold medal. International Contest Masters of Olive Oil awarded the same blends with “High-quality standard gold selection” at the big competition in Monte Carlo.

In July, our blends Istra and Atilio won awards from AIPO – the International Regional Association of Olive Oil producers. In addition, Atilio dominated the fruit note competition and won gold in the “Delicate fruttiness” category, and Organic in the “Medium Fruttiness” category. World’s Best Olive Oils in addition to Organic, also awarded our oil mill and OPG, and included us in the TOP 10 best producers according to the results of the 7 most important annual competitions. The famous world guide Flos Olei, a specialized guide to the world of extra virgin olive oils, rated us this year with 97 points out of 100, which positively surprised us considering the fact that we have practically subscribed to 95 points for the past 16 years. This guide evaluates olive oils from 5 continents throughout the year and publishes only the best 500 producers, and we are really proud of the fact that we have been present in the guide for 17 years in a row.

The crown of everything we have achieved this year is the olive oil Oscar – Il Premio Magnifico – an association that brings together the best producers of olive oil in the world, and which declared us as the L’Azienda dell anno – in translation, producer of the year. All our oils have been awarded with olive stars, and three blends have even received the maximum of three stars.

Being the best among the world’s best manufacturers is an exceptional honour. All these awards are the result of the dedication, love, passion, and work of the entire OPG Chiavalon team. The potential of our autochthonous varieties such as buža, bianchera, rosignola, carbonazza in combination with top technologies and modern ecological agrotechnical measures a winning combination which, now it is obvious, is recognized in the world. We are especially proud that everyone in the olive growing world already knows about our Istria and Vodnjan and we are becoming an undisputed synonym for extra virgin olive oil of extremely high quality.

We are returning to the harvest 2022 with the desire that it will be as successful as the year before.

Although we started producing olive oil 25 years ago, as an amateur, just for our needs, the Chiavalon brand as you know it today started 15 years ago. Then, together with our friends, designers, Davor Bruketa and Nikola Žinić, we started rebranding our products. And that’s how it all started.

We are happy that these creatives dedicated their time to us and gave us an idea and solution that was very innovative, different and special during that time. We trusted them and bravely embarked on the story we tell today.

This creative duo behind the successful company Bruketa & Žinić & Gray, put a bottle of olive oil in the paper bag. Škartoc was such, that only a small part of it with the name of the oil was glued to the front of the bottle and surrounded by perforations, so that the rest could be easily removed. All other information and declaration were printed on the back. Each bottle was hand-packed, and the whole label – škartoc, was handmade.

With this design, we have won many domestic and foreign awards such as the Red Dot Design Award and thePentawards Monaco, and our bottle has even been included in the exhibitions of some world museums of contemporary art. We were recognized by the world design scene, we got a lot of media attention, and it all grew into something much bigger and didn’t stop there. Namely, today, the importance of the design of a bottle of good olive oil as well as the branding itself is recognized by all serious olive oil producers and is an unavoidable factor in creating new and confirming existing brands on the market.

Today, 15 years later, we made a revivalof that label to pay hommage to this, for us, great anniversary. We filled 1000 numbered bottles in which we filled a brand new blend of extra virgin olive oil with olives from our special locations, which can be purchased exclusively in our oil mill in Vodnjan. In this way, we have added artistic value to this gastronomic story, which we want to share with all of you.

Istria has a lot to offer – from beautiful nature, small and charming towns to great gastronomy. We made a list of top 10 things you can do on your holiday in Istria, besides visiting our farm and the mill.

1. FOR ALL WINE LOVERS…

Istrian vineyards really offer a wide selection of varieties, but we wish to single out one red wine named Teran. This bitter, fruity and robust wine goes well with meat and the experts say it is also good for your health. There is also a well-known saying in our region „Teran is Istrian“ – you have to discover if it’s true. The other wine you should try is Malvasia, a white wine well known for this area. It goes well with pasta and fish. The biggest wine festival in Istria is called Vinistra and all regional producers are presenting their wines in Poreč in the spring.

2. LIM BAY 

We could have put this on the list for nature lovers because it is beautiful. However, we love it because shellfish are grown in the Lim Bay and, in addition to tasting them in a nearby restaurant, you can also eat them taken directly from the water where they are grown. We recommend Tony’s oyster shack where you can taste oysters, doodles and mussels. With champagne in one hand and oysters in the other, all you need is a spectacular view to complete your hedonistic experience…and a drop of our Romano.

3. THE SMALLEST CITY IN THE WORLD – HUM

According to a legend, Hum was formed when the giants were building cities in the Mirna Valley and eventually built Hum from the remaining stones. Today, this town has about twenty inhabitants, and it is known for “Biska” – mistletoe rakija that allegedly originates from this town. 

4. NATIONAL PARK BRIJUNI

Located across the charming town Fažana that is also worth visiting, this archipelago is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Croatia and is interesting for children as well as adults. There are 14 islands, of which the two most famous are Mali and Veliki Brijun, where you can go on safari and see animals, olive groves, beaches, archaeological remains and sports facilities. Book your trip directly on their pages, because this is the only way to get on the island 😉

5. CHURCH OF ST. BLAISE IN VODNJAN

The patron saint of the City of Vodnjan, where we are located, is St. Blaise, who has long been known as the protector of the throat. Many world-famous artists have come to Vodnjan for years to have the priest touch their throat with olive oil. Apart from that, this church is famous because it contains the largest number of the undecomposed bodies of saints that can be seen during the tour. Tip of the locals: The priest of the church is quite complicated, but it has been so for decades, and we cannot change it. However, if you like the sacred art, St. Blaz is a must.

6. TRUFFLE MUSEUM

All truffle lovers can expect a top experience in the newly opened museum and truffle tasting room. The museum is located in Paladini, in an old Istrian house, where the Karlić family started their business 4 generations ago. Here you can learn all about the “hunt” for truffles, their quality, cultivation and use in gastronomy.

Paladini is not far from Buzet, a small town on a hill that will delight you not only with truffles but also with its beautiful streets. Since you are near, Buzet is worth visiting.

7. THE MOST ROMANTIC TOWN IN ISTRIA – ROVINJ

This town that is actually a peninsula is located on the west coast of Istria, just twenty minutes’ drive from our oil mill. We are sure that this is the most romantic city in Istria – colourful houses, numerous tiny streets, street artists, unforgettable sunsets and a wide gastronomic offer that will not disappoint you are just a small part of what this place has to offer. You should definitely visit it the next time you come to Istria, if you haven’t already.

8. AMPHITHEATRE ARENA IN PULA

Pula is a city of rich historical heritage, mostly inherited from the Romans. One of the legacies is the amphitheatre Arena, which is open to tourists. This is one of the best preserved in the world, and it hosts numerous concerts and festivals during the summer that everyone remembers for a long time because of its unique scenery. In addition, if you are in Pula, be sure to visit the Little Roman Theater and Kaštel, the Double Gate, the Forum and the Temple of Augustus and the Arch of Sergius.

9. DVIGRAD

This medieval town is hidden in the woods, located in Limska Draga. These are the largest ruins of an urban settlement in Istria and provide a unique image of a fully preserved typical medieval town, i.e. kaštel. Within the inner wall are three towers, which were built in their present form during the 14th century.

10. SEVEN WATERFALLS AND LAKES

Unspoiled nature around the small historic town of Buzet in the middle of Istria has amazing educational walking and hiking trail that is connected by a river with seven waterfalls and lakes. This beautiful circular trail of 13 km can be divided into shorter sections suitable for different levels of fitness, from families to athletes. As you follow the river Mirna, you’ll cross wooden bridges, see turquoise lakes, walk through a fairy tale village, and find hidden swings and zip lines which you can try. Every few kilometres, there’s a different waterfall that is worth taking a picture of.

January and February were spent in filling up the bottles with new olive oil, packing and shipping your orders, recapitulating last year and making plans for 2022. As far as our plantations are concerned, this is a period when the olives rest due to lower temperatures and recovery from the harvest. We used it to inspect the olive groves in order to plan protection, supplementation and landscaping.

With February the time came when we give to the earth and help the olives to be prepared for the new productive year.

The nice weather allowed us to start cultivating olive groves, inspecting the trees and feeding the land. During January and February, we fertilized the olive trees with a composted olive pomace. In this way, we return all the rest after processing to the olives. In addition, light tillage has been done to get rid of weeds and make it easier for olives to reach food. To get, we have to give – and that’s what we’re going to do by the end of February. We are taking care of our olive trees, cultivating them and feeding them so that they can return it to us throughout the year During the winter months, we also cleaned the dry stone walls and the environment of the olive groves.

We also did not neglect our fields in Raša. We have carried out winter tillage so that the soil is ready to welcome the planting of tomatoes in the spring, and seeds will be sown in the greenhouse at the end of the month so that we have seedlings ready for the field by May.

Our olive groves look good – the olives are healthy, the weather is good – the temperatures are not very low, the winter is not very rainy, there is sun, and our olives are currently enjoying their zen phase. We are preparing for pruning, which will begin in early March when the danger of frost passes. For the next two months we will be constantly working in the olive groves, visiting them to check that there are no pests or diseases, cultivating them and doing everything we can to keep them healthy.

We are trying to invest in the production of healthy, premium and organic olive oil, not industrial versions of the same and everything we do in these months is aimed at that goal.

Istria is a northernmost area for olive growing and thus olives grow in extreme conditions and climates, which is actually an advantage because it gives better oil quality due to shortened vegetation. However, last spring showed us teeth. In April, snow fell in Istria, which destroyed some olive groves, and as a result, the production of olive oil in Istria decreased We hope to have more luck with the weather this year.

If everything continues this way, we believe that our 9000 olives will have a good year.

Dear friends, another year has come to an end. This is the moment when we add up the pros and cons, measure how much we have done, what we would do better and where we have room for progress. We are proud of all our employees who have done an excellent job throughout the year, burning, pulling and thanks to them, every year we go one step further in our business.

Now is more than deserved time for the vacation. We hereby inform you that we will work and ship your packages until December 23 and return to work on January 10, 2022. During the holidays our webshop will work normally, all orders will be accepted and shipped by us upon return to work from January 10.

In the meantime, we wish you all the best for the upcoming holidays. Be healthy, surrounded by people spreading positivity and love and achieve everything you have imagined in 2022.

We wish you rich holiday tables with fine food, good drinks and if it is all spiced up with a drop of our oil, we will be happy to be a part of your holiday.

Thank you for the support, loyalty and love you have given us throughout the year. We promise to do our best to deserve it again next year!

Your Chiavalon Family