Greece is one of the three largest olive oil producing countries in the world, and its people are among the biggest consumers of it. Yet Greek olive oil is less well known than Italian or Spanish oil. This guide explains what makes it special, how to choose it and where to buy it direct from the producer.
Why Greek olive oil stands apart
In Greece, the olive tree has been part of the landscape since antiquity. Groves are often family-owned and small, planted on dry, sunny hills. A large share of the production is extra virgin, the highest category, obtained only by mechanical means and free from taste defects.
The climate plays a key role: hot, dry summers, mild winters and the nearby sea give concentrated olives, rich in polyphenols, the natural antioxidants behind the bitterness and pepperiness of great oils.
The main regions
- The Peloponnese: the most productive region and the home of Koroneiki. It includes Messinia, with Kalamata, Laconia and Ilia, where our estates are.
- Crete: a very old olive-growing tradition and several protected designation of origin oils, such as Sitia.
- The islands and the north: Lesbos, Corfu and Halkidiki have their own varieties and often milder oils.
Varieties to know
- Koroneiki: the most planted variety in Greece. A small olive, very rich in polyphenols, it gives a green, grassy, bitter and peppery oil. All our cuvées are 100% Koroneiki. More about Koroneiki.
- Manaki and Athinolia: Peloponnese varieties with softer, fruitier oils.
- Kolovi: the Lesbos variety, with a round, light oil.
- Kalamon: best known as a table olive, the Kalamata olive.
How to choose a good Greek olive oil
- Extra virgin, nothing else. It is the only category that guarantees a mechanically extracted oil with low acidity and no defects.
- A precise origin. Prefer "Greece" or, better, a region and an estate, rather than "blend of European Union oils".
- The harvest date. An oil is best within 12 to 18 months of its harvest. Without a date, you cannot judge its freshness.
- A single grove. A single-estate oil has its own character, like a wine. A blend of several origins is more neutral.
- The laboratory analysis. Polyphenols, acidity, pesticide residues: a serious producer publishes its figures. How to read an analysis.
- Dark glass. Light damages oil; a dark bottle protects it.
The taste of a great Greek oil
An early-harvest Greek oil smells of cut grass, tomato leaf, artichoke or green almond. On the palate, the bitterness is clear and a peppery tingle comes at the back of the throat. This is not a defect: it is the signature of polyphenols and freshness, the one international competition juries look for.
Why buy direct from the producer
Buying direct from the producer means knowing the grove, the harvest date and how the oil was made. It also means an oil that has not passed through several intermediaries, at a price that pays those who harvest.
At Oikos Antalis, we are a Greek family farming our own olive groves in Ilia, in the Peloponnese. Each cuvée bears the name of its grove, is hand-harvested in early October, cold-extracted the same day and analysed by an independent laboratory. Our cuvées have won awards in Paris, New York, Tokyo and Abu Dhabi.
- Skourochori cuvée: the most intense, from trees 250 years old and more.
- Agios Ilias cuvée: our most awarded cuvée, with a balanced green fruitiness.
- Paliovarvassena cuvée: the most delicate, facing Olympia.
- Myrtia cuvée: our new estate.
We deliver in France, its overseas territories and across the European Union.
Frequently asked questions
Is Greek olive oil better than Italian?
No country is better in itself: quality depends on the variety, the harvest date, pressing and storage. Greece has the advantage of a high share of extra virgin oil and varieties very rich in polyphenols, such as Koroneiki.
How should Greek olive oil be stored?
Away from light and heat, with the cap closed, ideally between 14 and 18 °C. Once opened, use it within two to three months.
Can you cook with Greek extra virgin olive oil?
Yes, for gentle cooking. But a great oil shows its aromas best raw, drizzled over a dish.