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Harvesting Koroneiki olives is the most critical and most celebrated moment in the entire annual cycle of premium extra virgin olive oil production — the single stage upon which all the months of careful grove management, patient nurturing, and accumulated family knowledge either succeed or fall short. At Kladion, the harvesting of our Koroneiki olives in Palaiokastro, Messinia, is the moment of truth — the point at which the extraordinary natural potential of the variety, the unique character of the mountain terroir, and the dedication of a family producer converge into the first drop of what will become Kladion PDO Kalamata extra virgin olive oil.
But harvesting is only the beginning of the story. The journey from freshly picked Koroneiki olive to the premium cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil in your bottle is a carefully orchestrated sequence of 6 essential steps, each one as critical to the quality of the final product as the one before it. Understanding these steps is the key to understanding why Kladion PDO Kalamata stands apart from ordinary olive oils — and why the care, precision, and unwavering commitment to excellence that defines every stage of this process is immediately and unmistakably present in every bottle.
In this article we take you through all 6 steps of the Kladion olive oil production process in complete detail — from the precise timing of the harvest decision and the hand collection of the fruit, through the rapid transport, cold crushing, centrifugal separation, careful filtering, and meticulous bottling that protect and preserve every polyphenol, every aroma, and every drop of extraordinary quality all the way to your table.
Why Harvesting Defines the Quality of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The quality of extra virgin olive oil is fundamentally tied to the harvesting process, as it cannot be improved after extraction. Unlike other premium products, every quality aspect, such as low acidity, polyphenol richness, and aromatic complexity, is determined before and during extraction. Once the oil is extracted, its quality is fixed, and no subsequent blending or processing can enhance it beyond what was present in the raw olives. The timing of the harvest plays a crucial role, as olives that are picked at their peak ripeness yield the best oil.
Additionally, the method of extraction, whether through cold pressing or modern techniques, can significantly influence the final product’s flavor profile. Storage conditions also matter; exposure to light and heat can degrade the oil’s quality over time. Therefore, producers must prioritize every step of the process, from cultivation to bottling, to ensure that each bottle reflects the highest standards of excellence. Ultimately, the integrity of the olive fruit is paramount, as it determines the oil’s character and value.
This is why harvesting — and the steps that immediately follow it — are so decisive. The condition of the fruit at the moment of picking, the speed with which it moves from tree to press, the temperature at which it is processed, and the care with which the finished oil is protected from light, heat, and oxygen all determine the final quality of the product with absolute finality. At Kladion, this understanding drives every decision made at every stage of the production process — from the moment the first olive is picked in the groves of Palaiokastro to the moment the last bottle is sealed and dispatched to a customer’s table.
Step 1 — Grove Preparation and the Right Moment to Harvest
The first step of the Kladion olive oil production process begins long before the first olive is picked — in the careful year-round management of the groves of Palaiokastro that creates the conditions for a harvest of exceptional quality. Throughout the spring and summer months, the Kladion family tends their Koroneiki trees with meticulous attention: pruning to ensure optimal canopy structure and light penetration, managing soil nutrition to provide the precise mineral foundation the trees need, and monitoring the health and development of the fruit as it progresses through its annual growth cycle.
Determining the Perfect Harvest Moment
One of the most consequential decisions in the entire production process is determining exactly when to harvest — and it is a decision that demands years of accumulated expertise, careful daily observation of the fruit, and the kind of intimate knowledge of a specific grove’s characteristics that only a dedicated family producer develops over generations. Harvesting too early sacrifices oil yield and flavor development. Harvesting too late allows polyphenol levels to drop, natural acidity to rise, and the vibrant freshness that defines premium extra virgin olive oil to begin fading.
At Kladion, the harvest timing is determined by the careful assessment of three key indicators: the color of the fruit (moving from deep green toward the first hints of purple, indicating the optimal polyphenol-to-oil ratio), the firmness of the flesh, and the accumulated experience of a family that has been reading these signals in the groves of Palaiokastro for generations. The goal is always to harvest at precisely the moment when the Koroneiki olives deliver their maximum combination of polyphenol richness, aromatic complexity, and naturally very low acidity — the precise balance that defines Kladion PDO Kalamata. You can learn more about how the seasons shape this decision in our detailed guide on olive oil production seasons in Greece.
Step 2 — Hand Harvesting in the Groves of Palaiokastro
The second step — the actual harvesting of the olives — is at once the most labor-intensive and the most important physical stage of the entire production process. At Kladion, the Koroneiki olives are harvested by hand, using careful manual collection and gentle raking techniques that ensure each individual fruit arrives at the mill completely undamaged and in perfect condition.
Why Hand Harvesting Matters for Quality
The choice to harvest by hand is not a romantic gesture toward tradition — it is a deliberate and carefully considered quality decision with direct and measurable consequences for the finished oil. Bruised, crushed, or physically damaged olives begin to oxidize almost immediately after the damage occurs, triggering enzymatic reactions that raise acidity, degrade polyphenols, and compromise the fresh aromatic character of the resulting oil. Mechanical harvesting methods — particularly those that use heavy vibrating machinery — can cause significant physical damage to the fruit, especially for the small, delicate Koroneiki olive, which is more vulnerable to bruising than larger varieties.
Hand harvesting completely eliminates this risk. Every olive collected in the Kladion groves arrives at the pressing facility in the same pristine condition it was in on the tree — undamaged, undegraded, and carrying its full complement of polyphenols, aromatic compounds, and flavor potential completely intact. The difference this makes in the final quality of the oil is not subtle. It is the difference between a premium extra virgin olive oil and everything else.
Step 3 — Rapid Transport and Washing
The third step begins the moment the last olive is collected from the last tree — and it is a step governed above all else by one principle: speed. In premium extra virgin olive oil production, the time between harvest and pressing is one of the most critical quality variables of all. Freshly harvested olives are living fruit, and they begin to deteriorate from the moment they are separated from the tree. Fermentation and oxidation begin within hours of picking, raising acidity, degrading polyphenols, and destroying the delicate aromatic compounds that define a great extra virgin olive oil.
At Kladion, the harvested Koroneiki olives are transported directly and immediately from the groves of Palaiokastro to the pressing facility — with no delays, no overnight storage, and no compromise on the urgency that premium quality demands. Upon arrival at the mill, the olives are thoroughly washed to remove any remaining field soil, leaves, or debris, using clean water and gentle handling that protects the fruit from any additional physical stress. Clean fruit is the essential foundation of clean, high-quality oil — and this stage, while deceptively simple in appearance, is a critical quality checkpoint that sets the conditions for everything that follows.
Step 4 — Cold Crushing and Olive Paste Creation
The fourth step — the crushing of the washed olives into a smooth, uniform paste — is the first stage of the actual oil extraction process, and it is the stage at which the strict cold pressing commitment that defines Kladion’s production philosophy first becomes fully operative. Whether using traditional stone mills or modern mechanical crushers, the fundamental requirement is identical and non-negotiable: the temperature of the olive paste must never exceed 27°C at any point during the crushing process.
The Critical Importance of Cold Crushing
This strict temperature limit is the defining characteristic of genuine cold pressed extra virgin olive oil — and the reason it matters so profoundly is both scientifically clear and practically decisive. Heat is the enemy of quality in olive oil production. Even moderate heat accelerates oxidation, destroys the most delicate and health-valuable polyphenols, volatilizes the aromatic compounds that give premium extra virgin olive oil its complex fragrance, and begins the process of quality degradation that transforms a genuinely exceptional oil into an ordinary one.
By crushing cold — maintaining strict temperature control throughout the entire process — Kladion ensures that every polyphenol, every antioxidant, every aromatic molecule, and every beneficial compound present in the freshly harvested Koroneiki olives is preserved completely intact in the resulting paste, ready to be transferred to the finished oil in the next stage of production. The International Olive Council provides detailed guidance on cold extraction standards and their importance for extra virgin olive oil quality.
Step 5 — Centrifugal Separation and Oil Extraction
The fifth step is the centrifugal separation process — the stage at which the oil is physically separated from the water and solid residue of the olive paste to produce the finished extra virgin olive oil. Modern cold extraction systems use a continuous centrifugal decanter to achieve this separation efficiently, consistently, and without the application of any heat or chemical intervention at any point. The olive paste is fed continuously into the decanter, which uses centrifugal force to separate the three components — oil, water, and solid olive residue — with extraordinary precision and speed.
The speed of this stage matters as much as the technique. Every minute that the crushed olive paste remains unseparated is a minute during which enzymatic activity continues and quality degradation progresses. The continuous centrifugal system used in modern cold extraction minimizes this waiting time to an absolute minimum — completing the separation as rapidly as possible after crushing, preserving the maximum possible concentration of polyphenols and aromatic freshness in the extracted oil.
The oil that emerges from the centrifugal separation — brilliantly green, intensely aromatic, and naturally rich in polyphenols — is then passed through a final vertical centrifuge to remove any remaining traces of water, producing a clean, pure, and extraordinarily high-quality extra virgin olive oil that is immediately protected from further oxidation.
Step 6 — Filtering, Storage and Bottling
The sixth and final step of the Kladion production process is the careful filtering, storage, and bottling of the finished oil — the stage at which all the quality created and preserved through the preceding five steps is locked in permanently and protected for the entire journey from Palaiokastro to your table.
Filtering for Clarity and Stability
The freshly extracted cold pressed oil is carefully filtered to remove any remaining fine particles and micro-droplets of water that could accelerate oxidation and microbial activity during storage. Proper filtration is an important quality management step that significantly extends the shelf life of the oil and maintains the clarity, aromatic intensity, and polyphenol stability of the finished product throughout its entire shelf life.
Dark Glass Bottling and Protection
The filtered oil is transferred to dark stainless steel storage vessels — completely protected from light, heat, and oxygen — until it is ready for bottling. When the time comes to bottle, Kladion PDO Kalamata is filled into dark glass bottles that block the light wavelengths most damaging to olive oil quality, sealed with precision to prevent any oxygen ingress, and prepared for distribution to customers and partners across Europe.
Dark glass bottling is not simply an aesthetic choice — it is a scientifically grounded quality decision that protects the extraordinary polyphenol content, the vibrant aromatic profile, and the full nutritional value of the cold pressed oil throughout its shelf life. When you receive a bottle of Kladion PDO Kalamata, you are receiving an oil whose quality has been protected at every stage from grove to glass. Explore and order Kladion directly from our e-shop.
Quality and Flavor — The Result of Every Detail Done Right
The extraordinary quality of Kladion PDO Kalamata extra virgin olive oil is not the result of any single brilliant decision or any single exceptional ingredient — it is the cumulative result of every detail of the 6-step production process being done right, without compromise, at every stage. The naturally very low acidity — typically 0.1-0.3% — is the direct result of careful hand harvesting, immediate processing, and strict cold extraction. The rich, vibrant aromatic complexity is preserved intact by the cold pressing method. The beautifully balanced bitterness and long peppery finish are the natural signature of the Koroneiki variety, expressed at its finest through a production process that never cuts corners and never accepts anything less than excellence.
Every bottle of Kladion PDO Kalamata bears the Protected Designation of Origin Kalamata certification — the EU’s most rigorous geographical and quality guarantee — confirming single-origin provenance from Messinia, 100% Koroneiki variety composition, and compliance with the most demanding quality standards in European olive oil classification. Learn more about our family tradition and the values that guide every aspect of Kladion’s approach to production.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes hand harvesting better for olive oil quality?
Hand harvesting prevents the bruising and physical damage to the olive fruit that mechanical harvesting methods can cause. Damaged olives begin to oxidize immediately, raising acidity and degrading the polyphenols and aromatic compounds that define premium extra virgin olive oil. Hand harvesting ensures every olive arrives at the press in perfect condition, preserving the maximum possible quality in the finished oil.
What does cold pressed mean for olive oil?
Cold pressed means that at no point during the crushing and extraction process does the temperature of the olive paste exceed 27°C. This strict temperature limit preserves all of the polyphenols, antioxidants, and delicate aromatic compounds present in the freshly harvested olives, producing an oil of exceptional nutritional value, aromatic complexity, and natural flavor. All Kladion PDO Kalamata is produced exclusively by cold pressing.
How quickly are Kladion olives pressed after harvesting?
Kladion olives are transported directly and immediately from the groves of Palaiokastro to the pressing facility after harvesting, with no delays or overnight storage. Minimizing the time between harvest and pressing is one of the most critical quality factors in premium extra virgin olive oil production, and it is a priority that Kladion manages with absolute consistency every season.
Why is Kladion bottled in dark glass?
Dark glass blocks the light wavelengths most damaging to olive oil quality, protecting the polyphenols, aromatic compounds, and nutritional value of the oil throughout its shelf life. Light exposure is one of the primary causes of quality degradation in olive oil — dark glass bottling is a scientifically proven method of extending shelf life and maintaining quality from production to consumption.
What does PDO Kalamata certification guarantee?
PDO Kalamata certification is a legally enforced EU designation that guarantees three things: that the olive oil is produced from olives grown exclusively within the Kalamata region of Messinia, that it is made using the 100% Koroneiki variety, and that it meets the rigorous quality standards defined for the designation. It is the most reliable and most authoritative quality guarantee available to buyers of Greek extra virgin olive oil.