THE OTHER NECTAR OF THE GODS

Olive oil and wine have long defined the gastronomic cultures and trading ties of the Mediterranean basin. Why are they such inseparable companions?

- INES SALPICO

Dream of Tuscany, Andalucia or Alentejo and you will likely see rolling hills dotted by sculptural olive trees, interspersed with vineyards of gnarly old vines. Olive groves and vines have defined the culture and landscapes of the Mediterranean basin for centuries, inseparable companions across southern Europe and the Middle East. Geopolitics, trade and nature have all played a part in the relationship.

Vines and olive trees thrive in some of the most challenging areas within the 30° and 45° parallels, having adapted to drought and mineral-poor soils where other crops perish. ‘Other trees struggle on the rocky soils in which vines perform best,’ says Adrian Bridge, CEO of The Fladgate Partnership, owner of Quinta de Vargellas, an iconic Douro estate where olive oil is still produced. ‘But olive trees have shallow roots and can survive, for centuries, on inhospitable soils.’ While at the same time preventing erosion and improving soil structure. ‘This, and the fact that they provided shade for the field workers, is why they were planted along the Douro’s roads and slope edges.’

Both olives and vines were domesticated in and around Asia Minor some 6,000 years ago and then propagated by the Phoenicians across the Greek mainland and islands, where they became cornerstones of the Hellenic and Roman cultures. The expansion of the Roman empire would establish them all around the Mediterranean, consolidating the economic importance of both wine and olive oil, consumed as foodstuffs as well as for cosmetic, medicinal and religious purposes. Olive trees also provided fuel. ‘Olive oil was, for centuries, the main if not the only cooking fat used in the Douro,’ says Bridge. ‘And it was the only source of light; we used olive oil lamps at Vargellas up until electricity arrived in 1977.’