The ancient Cretan variety “Tsounati” gives rise to a very special olive oil with a particularly rich blend of flavor and aromas. The organic farming, the early harvest and of course the climate and unique features of the Cretan land, all contribute to an exclusive product. The production and bottling process ensures the maintenance of all nutrients such as polyphenols, which are in abundance in EFKRATO.
EFKRATO is an award-winning gourmet product that is produced exclusively from the ancient Cretan variety Tsounati. It is also very rich in antioxidants (polyphenols) that allow it to be used as a dietary supplement.
EFKRATO harmoniously combines the bitterness and pungency of early harvest olive oils with aromas of green fruits, artichokes, green peppers, freshly cut grass, etc.
The harmonious relationship with nature is a key component of EFKRATO’s identity. The cultivation and production methods that are used are much stricter than those of organic farming and practically impossible to apply in large scale production of olive oil.
The main way of fertilization is our “cooperation” with horses and sheep that offer their organic manure in exchange for the wild grasses of our olive grove.
The olives are selected by hand, one by one, and only those in excellent condition are used in the production of EFKRATO. Olive oil extraction is done every day, less than 6.5 hours after harvest. Only the batches with the best organoleptic characteristics are bottled.
Harvesting takes place before the fruits ripen, in order to produce what the ancient Greeks called “ωμοτριβές” (early harvest olive oil), which from ancient times was considered the most nutritious olive oil.
Modern scientific studies confirm this belief: Polyphenols, the antioxidants contained in large quantities in early harvest olive oils such as EFKRATO, have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cardioprotective and neuroprotective properties.
EFKRATO is filtered and stored in a protective atmosphere using the noble gas argon, thus maintaining the organoleptic characteristics and nutrients for much longer.
EFKRATO contains 4 times more polyphenols than the limit allowing for a health claim to be made (according to Regulation 432/2012 of the European Union). Moreover, EFKRATO’s value in free acids is very low (<0.4).
