Armagh Olives - in the Clare Valley

Set in a quiet valley near Clare, there's another fruit that, for the connoisseur, creates as much passion and interest as the more celebrated grape. And on the terrace of Glendalough Olive Estate, I took time out recently to enjoy the fruits of Robin Hill and Don Hiller's labours. Back in 1996, they travelled through Tuscany and Umbria, Italian regions synonymous with the humble olive, and on their return decided that a little valley about four kilometres west off Clare, had as much potential for olive oil production as anything they'd seen overseas.

"We've got identical geographical climate and everything - but better. We don't have pollution, we are a little bit higher in altitude, like by a hundred metres above sea level, and the conditions are ideal to produce extra virgin olive oil".

These are Spanish olives, a variety known as Manzanilla. There are now seven varieties in this plantation of two and a half thousand trees. The first went in about five years ago, and now their second commercial crop is due.

"It's kind of just like combing"

"Yes, yes, just make sure you start at the top and just take every olive off as you come down"

"And so we're obviously picking all the olives here, the green ones and the others. Can they all be used for oil?"

"This particular variety can be used for both oil and fruit, that is table olives"

When Postcards caught up with Don and Robin earlier this year, the picking was about to get underway in earnest.

"See how this is clearer"

"Yer"

"See that?"

"Yer, I nearly felt it"

"Well that red indicates there's a lot of water in it. That's why you tend to pick the green with the black with the red so that you can get a better, a better oil out of it"

"So it's probably the only fruit that when you crush it you actually come out with a product that's ready to go quite simply"

"Yes, absolutely, that's right, it's the only process in the world where you can take the actual pure fruit at the beginning and finish with the end product at the end. This normally takes about an hour, and then you've got it"

Armagh near Clare was first surveyed in 1859 and as the name suggests, was settled by the Irish. Soon it was considered the fruit bowl of South Australia. Now the century old trees at the bottom of the valley provide an occasional feed for the passing parrot. And while these hills have now made way for a different crop, remnants of the old orchard remain.

"Plums, apples and pears and the plums were dehydrated into prunes, prune plums"

At the back of Glendalogh Estate, the old dehydrating room still serves as a reminder of the old Valley of Armagh orchard. And the old packing sheds have now been converted into Don and Robins cellar and bottling shed, where the olive oil aficionado and novice alike, can savour the delights of this ancient fruit.

"Take a spoonful take half a spoonful and put it in your mouth and roll it right round your mouth, and drip it on your chin"

"So that's what the towel is for?"

"Leave it in your mouth and try and get it on the back of your tongue as well, and swallow it"

"That's fine, can you taste the fruit?"

"Definitely"

"And the sharpness and did you get any pepper?"

"Yer, and it's very clean too and soft"

When selecting extra virgin olive oil, the experts are looking for what's called fruit, bitterness and pungency. If you want to sharpen your palate when it comes to delights of olive oil, then make you way to Don and Robins cellar in St George Terrace at Armagh, about three kilometres west of Clare.

It's open daily from 10am to 5pm

For more information you can email info@postcards.sa.com.au for any further enquiries.