Mirandelan Olive Oil

The Mirandela region of Northeast Portugal is the second largest area of olive oil production in the country, responsible for 30% of Portugal's annual olive oil output. Olive trees were first planted in this region in the 1500s. The area has a typical Mediterranean climate with cool winters and very hot summers. However, the area is not as fertile as other Mediterranean regions, and irrigation is not used everywhere. As a result, the groves do not have prodigious output, but the schist soils in the Douro region help create delicate oils with great complexity. The PDO region known as Trás-os-Montes, which means "beyond the mountain," contains much of the Douro River valley, with deep gorges in the north and rugged, hilly terrain farther south. At Olive Oil Lovers the Mirandela region of Portugal is represented by the brand Magna Olea. Several native olive varieties perform very well in the region, including Cobrançosa, Verdeal, Madural and Cordovil.