Horta do Felix Olive Oil from Portugal

Elegant Algarve olive oil from the Horta do Félix estate

Monterosa Horta do Félix olive oil is an Extra Virgin olive oil cuvée from the von Rosen family in Moncarapacho. Elegantly fruity, with a gentle bitterness, a peppery accent, and fine notes of dried fruit. Named after the estate itself – the versatile house oil that captures the entire Algarve in a bottle.

Monterosa Horta do Félix olive oil is an Extra Virgin olive oil cuvée from the von Rosen family, named after their estate in Moncarapacho in the eastern Algarve. A selection of several varieties from the grove is combined into an elegant everyday oil with a peppery accent. 250 ml or 500 ml in a dark bottle, early harvested, cold extracted. Prepare to be surprised by how much of the Algarve can reside in a single drop.

In the glass, the oil glows with a warm golden green and smells of ripe green olives, fresh garden herbs, and a hint of dried fruit. On the palate, the Horta do Félix unfolds an elegant spiciness – fruity, gently bitter, with a peppery sharpness that quietly greets you at the back of the throat. This is the taste of a balanced Algarve cuvée.

Elegantly fruity, gently bitter, peppery finish

The Horta do Félix olive oil is one of the more elegant Algarve oils – not a massive single-varietal, not a timid, generic drop, but a well-conceived blend where each variety makes its contribution without pushing itself to the fore.

The aroma opens with grassy freshness and ripe olive, behind which the oil carries a hint of almond, a delicate note of dried fruit, and a quiet trace of herbs. The finish is peppery and gently bitter, fading slowly – the depth introduces itself calmly without overwhelming you.

Versatile in cold and warm dishes

The oil likes both worlds – cold over finished dishes as well as warm in the pan. For light chicken breast with herbs, fried aubergines, or a tomato pan with onions, you can add it before or after frying, depending on how expressive you want it to be.

Over a slice of warm sourdough bread with ripe tomato and a pinch of Fleur de Sel, the Horta do Félix displays its simple, fine beauty. Equally lovely with a mild sliced cheese, a winter salad of beetroot and walnuts, or drizzled over a risotto at the end of cooking. It is a house oil in the best sense – a companion for every day, not just for special occasions.

Store the oil at around 18 °C, in a dark place and tightly sealed – olive oil does not like sunshine or proximity to the stove. The Horta do Félix reveals its freshness best within twelve months of opening; after that, the fine spiciness begins to fade quietly.

The Horta do Félix estate in Moncarapacho

Horta do Félix is the name of the estate itself – an old piece of land surrounded by olive trees in Moncarapacho in the eastern Algarve, a few kilometers from the Atlantic. Here, the von Rosen family tends their olive grove with five varieties: Verdeal, Maçanilha Algarvia, Picual, Cobrançosa, and Frantoio. The Horta do Félix is created from a selection of these varieties – the drop that carries the name of the entire estate.

The harvest takes place in early autumn by hand, as soon as the olives are still deep green and full of aromatic strength – the earlier the harvest, the more robust and fresh the resulting oil. Immediately afterwards, the olives go to the estate's own mill: crushed in granite stone mills, cold extracted, and carefully filled into dark bottles. A short journey from tree to bottle, with no long transport routes in between.

Detlev von Rosen came to the south of Portugal from Sweden in 1969; in 1972, the family switched to ornamental plants, and in the year 2000, they dedicated themselves entirely to olive oil. "We grow what grows here" could be the quiet motto, as Detlev liked to phrase it during a tour of the olive groves. The Horta do Félix is the calling card of the entire estate – elegant, balanced, and suitable for everyday use. Hats off.

A few drops on fried potatoes with rosemary

The Horta do Félix can be used in many ways: a tablespoon over a warm tomato soup, in the pan for gently frying vegetables or chicken, a few drops on fried potatoes with rosemary, or pure over a slice of sourdough bread with ripe tomato. Those looking for a more expressive single-varietal oil will find more robust Algarve drops from the same estate in our further olive oil range. Consume within twelve months of opening.