Domaine Pradines le Bas is a story being written together by a Languedoc woman and the tree of life; the Olive Tree.

With the know-how and knowledge allied with her courage and passion, Francine works with her oils as a sculptor with his clay. Eager to explore the richness of the land, but
without ever divulging its secrets, she produces an aromatic spectrum in a veritable collection of olive oils. These oils have uses as wide as precise.

The estate produces a range of deep and rustic products linking tradition and innovation. The soft Lucques variety has a touch of vanilla and is a perfect match for summer evening
drinks, it can partner the Picholine variety whose oil has aromas of almonds and fresh butter and will exalt many Mediterranean dishes. The delightful Bouteillan is fresh and fruity on the nose, sometimes with a slight aroma of raw fish, whilst being light bodied on the palate. Being unctuous and long in the mouth L’Olivière is sublime. Giving aromas of
fresh tomato and green banana along with a slight heat. And finally the fruity cuvee Margaux, (dependent on yields), with complex aromas, is queen of any discerning table,
bringing together a great flexibility in the kitchen and can be used for many purposes.

Being faithful to the emblem and practises from the Palace Athena the oléicultrice would like to invite you to taste and enjoy the olfactory pleasure of these universal panaceas at Pradines le Bas.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MILL

In mid-October, the olives from the Pradines estate are pressed and the land comes back to life. Francine’s olive mill is serviced and refreshed every autumn to ensure the fresh crunchy olives can be transformed into an unctuous, creamy oil.

From de-stemming, washing and draining, to crushing the fruit into olive paste. Then the work of decanting, including the process of centrifugation which separates the matter: vegetable water and the pulpy residue; this is recycled as a natural fertilizer in the olive grove. Finally the pure oil appears, curling at the bottom of the stainless steel vats, whilst sheltered from the sun and the elements. The oil is then ready to be packaged by the oléicultrice.

The precise “clockwork operation” of this process benefits from pioneering equipment. This brand new mill has many features combining the technical reliability of decanters to technologically proven tanks to keep the oil in perfect condition.

The feverish pace that this machine operates is truly choreographic. Combining the fragant aromas emerging in the water vapour with the purring hum, it takes your mind to another dimension. It can remind you of the fantastic era of Emile Zola.