Appellations or indications of origin are there to help us know where the products come from.’olive oils, but not only. Small decryption of olive oil labels ! But before, let's come back to these famous names.
AOP – Protected designation of origin
PDO stands for Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée.. A PDO is a European appellation which guarantees a production, transformation and production in a specific geographical area with constraints linked to tradition. An additional guarantee of preserving the benefits of olive oil.
PDO olive mills and estates
In France, there is 7 controlled designations of origin including 5 for Provence. The particularities of each appellation are very specific. Here are the main lines that the olive oil mills and estates must respect for the appellations of Provence.
PDO olive oil from the Baux-de-Provence valley
L’AOP of the Baux-de-Provence Valley impose 5 varieties of olives :
- 4 main: Salonenque, Coarse, Béruguette, Verdale. Two main varieties must be present.
- AOP authorizes a secondary variety, la Picholine, but this must not exceed 10% you are guarding.
An oil that comes in 2 finishes, le fruity green and the dark fruity or ripe fruitiness or matured olive oil.
PDO olive oil from Aix-en-Provence
PDO olive oil from Aix-en-Provence is over a wide geographical area : Bouches-du-Rhône and Var.
- Main varieties present on at least 80% of olive trees: Aglandau, Cayanne etSalonenque.
- Secondary varieties: Bouteillan, Coarse, Picholine, Verdale of the Bouches-du-Rhône, to which are added local varieties such as petit Ribier, Sabine, Saurine, Sigeoise etTriparde.
Some AOP mills produce ripe fruit, but it is the green fruitiness that remains the dominant oil in this AOP.
PDO olive oil from Nice
Located in the geographical area of Alpes-Maritimes, PDO olive oil from Nice is a mono-varietal oil. The only variety allowed isCailletier. However, pollinating varieties or old local varieties are accepted up to 5%, particularlyArabanier, Blaquetier, Blavet, Nostral, Ribeyrou.
PDO olive oil from Nyons
Located in a geographical area between Drôme and Vaucluse, PDO Nyons only allows one variety of olives of the tench variety.
AOP olive oil from Haute-Provence
Located in a wide geographical area ranging from the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhone, Var and Vaucluse.
The specifications of the’AOP Haute-Provence selected main and secondary varieties:
- Main variety present on at least 80% of olive trees: Aglandau.
- Secondary varieties: Bouteillan, Picholine, Tench, to which are added the old local varieties such asBoube, Colombale, Estoublaisse, Wired, joker, Mont d'Or Dew.
AOC – Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
An AOC is not a European appellation but a national one unlike the AOP. In Provence, there is only one AOC left.
AOC olive oil from Provence
The varieties of olives imposed by the’AOC olive oil from Provence are :
- main varieties : Aglandau, Bouteillan, Cayon, Salonenque.
- secondary varieties : Brun, Cayets, small Ribier and Belgentiéroise.
There must be at least two main varieties in olive oil in the olive grove.
PGI Protected Geographical Indication
The PGI is a European initiative that is similar to the PDO but less strict. Unlike AOC and AOP, at least one step among the production, the processing or production of the product must take place in the defined geographical area. There is no IGP in the oils of Provence but for example the ‘Thym de Provence” is protected by this label.
See also our tips for using olive oil.
For more information on each of these PDOs, here is a detailed sheet for each appellation.