{"title":"Castelas","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCastelas – Olive Oil from Provence\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCastelas\u003c\/strong\u003e, olive oil from Provence, is a story that began in 1997 when Catherine and Jean-Benoît Hugues returned to their homeland, Provence, after living for 15 years on the vast plains of Arizona in the USA. From then on, they wanted to dedicate themselves to their passion for good olive oil and leased old, overgrown olive groves in the wild and romantic landscape of the Alpilles, a limestone mountain range in the southwest of Provence between Avignon, Cavaillon, and Arles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe adventure in the Les Baux de Provence Valley began with a magnificent 6 hectares planted with olive trees, well exposed on the southern slope of the Alpilles, not far from the town of Mouriès. In this magical place, the Salonenque olive variety, for which the olive oil from Les Baux de Provence is valued, grows predominantly, as do the Verdale, Aglandau, and Grossane varieties. These olive groves produce olives that are allowed to bear an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlée) designation of origin, because here the olive varieties find optimal conditions due to microclimatic factors such as the Mistral, a southern French wind that protects the olive trees from pests, the strong sun that ripens the olives, and the calcareous but dry soil that supplies the trees with nutrients and allows them to root deeply. All these conditions, and of course the intervention, the know-how, and the passion of the olive farmer, produce an incredibly good olive oil that belongs to the absolute world elite.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCastelas – the best olive oil in all of France\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe magazine \"Der Feinschmecker\" considers it \"the best in all of France\" and celebrates Castelas olive oil as \"a Provençal revolution\". The first gold medal at the Concours Général in Paris in 2002 was followed by many more international top ratings. Gradually, the Hugues couple leased or bought additional olive groves, so that today 45 hectares on the sunny foothills of the Alpilles and 65 hectares in the Plaine de Crau are cultivated by them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJean-Benoît Hugues sees similarities with viticulture. Good soil, which he enriches and fertilizes with humus, is very important to him. The trees are pruned in spring and watered in summer so that the olives do not show drought stress. The harvest of the different varieties is done by hand and at different times, depending on whether the oil should taste fruity mild or intense. Prompt processing is also important, which is why Castelas has its own oil mill in the immediate vicinity of the ancient, picturesque rock fortress of Les Baux. Castelas ultimately means old castle. Here, an extra virgin olive oil is produced traditionally and artisanally.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0905\/1124\/5646\/collections\/castelas-olivenoel-provence.jpg?v=1768052057","url":"https:\/\/nurgutes.de\/en\/collections\/castelas.oembed","provider":"nur Gutes","version":"1.0","type":"link"}