The Baena region produces the olives that give rise to the oil under the control of the Baena DOP , the oldest in Andalusia and one of the most prestigious in Spain. The protection of this Protected Designation of Origin means that there has been no alteration from the harvesting of the fruit and its grinding until it reaches the hands of the consumer, preserving all its organoleptic properties. In this way , virgin oils of extra quality are guaranteed.and acidity less than 1%. It is extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), obtained from olives of the Picudo or Carrasqueño de Córdoba varieties, the main variety, and to a lesser extent Lechín, Chorrúo or Jardúo, Pajarero, Hojiblanca and Picual. It is produced in a total of approximately 37,000 hectares of olive trees that are intended for the cultivation of this oil.
Baena has the socioeconomic base of its population in the olive tree since most of its people are linked in one way or another to this ancestral crop whose presence in the landscape and the way of life of the territory over the centuries has accumulated a cultural baggage and some signs of identity that have the olive tree, the olive and olive oil as the main exponents. It would be, therefore, a true Culture of the Olive Grovethat has created over the centuries some practices, customs, rituals and beliefs that indelibly mark the character and way of life of Baena. These human manifestations that revolve around olive oil are partly maintained today, in turn adapting to a world that changes and transforms rapidly. In this sense, Baena is in perfect conditions to ensure a demanding supply in increasingly global markets, since its municipal area occupies one of the first places in the world ranking of producers and all this while maintaining away of life close to nature, agricultural but increasingly automated and industrialized, maintaining the essence of authenticity and the purely Mediterranean character.
The olive tree and olive oil are not only gastronomic culture, they are also the origin of beliefs, legends, proverbs and popular phrases, home remedies, festivals and celebrations.
In recent times, with the increasing popularization ofolive oil and its benefits, this culture is being enriched by research, technological advances, world-class events, and the enhancement of the dissemination of ancient culture through museums, wine tastings, oil, visits to farmhouses, mills, archaeological sites, restoration, all encompassed under the name Oleoturismo.
The olive , cultural axis of the olive grove and oil
Extraction of oil in an oil mill in Baena
The olive harvest in Baena is carried out carefully, either by mechanical or traditional methods, as well as its processing, so that there is no alteration in the oil in order to fully preserve its aroma , flavor and qualities . In this way, the Baena oil will be fruity in character, with a large amount of floral aromas, almond-shaped nuances, slightly bitter and of a variable color between greenish yellow and golden greenish.
The Baena Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) bears the name of the city as an unavoidable and typical reference point for quality in the production of one of the most famous extra virgin olive oils (AOVE) in the world.