Aceite Isul

Rioja Organic Olive Oil Mill (Isul)

Almazara Ecológica de La Rioja is a family business dedicated to the cultivation and production of organic extra virgin olive oil in Alfaro, La Rioja. The project was born in 1999 and is managed by three siblings, who work their own land and directly oversee the various stages necessary to transform their olives into EVOO.

From its beginnings, the mill made a firm commitment to organic farming, a philosophy that is particularly significant in a region where olive groves occupy a much smaller area than other traditional crops. This specialization made it possible to build a differentiated project around a single raw material and a production model that respects the environment.

Their oil is mainly marketed under the ISUL brand, which is closely linked to both the family and the territory of Alfaro. The company's philosophy is based on controlling the entire product journey: they cultivate their own olive trees, harvest the olives, carry out the milling, and finally package the oil in their own facilities.

From Alfaro, ISUL has also achieved significant reach outside La Rioja and has won numerous awards in organic EVOO competitions. This trajectory reflects the commitment begun in the late nineties to demonstrate that the Riojan territory can also produce organic oils with great personality.

Organic Arbequina: the essence of ISUL

The production of Almazara Ecológica de La Rioja is especially linked to the Arbequina, the variety used to craft its organic EVOO, ISUL. It is an Arbequina monovarietal, meaning the oil's personality depends as much on the inherent characteristics of this olive as on its adaptation to the particular conditions of the Riojan olive grove.

The work begins with certified organic farming, dispensing with the phytosanitary treatments and chemical fertilizers typical of conventional agriculture and replacing them with practices compatible with this production model. The priority is to maintain a crop that is respectful of natural resources and the balance of the environment.

Early harvesting is another fundamental element of their philosophy. The olives are carefully harvested and processed immediately after collection, reducing waiting time to preserve the fruit's qualities. Production is also carried out at low temperatures, seeking to preserve the aromas and natural components of the Arbequina.

The result is an oil with a balanced and fruity profile. In the greener versions, aromas of grass, tomato, and apple are particularly prominent, showcasing an interpretation of the Arbequina shaped by the conditions of northern Spain.

This combination of Arbequina, organic farming, early harvest, and immediate processing forms the foundation of ISUL. The family’s control over the entire process allows for very tight traceability between the tree, the mill, and the final bottled oil.

El Cascajo: an olive grove between Mount Yerga and the Ebro River

The origin of ISUL lies in the El Cascajo estate, a family olive grove located in Alfaro, in the easternmost part of La Rioja. The property occupies an enclave between Mount Yerga and the Ebro River, two geographic landmarks that help define a landscape very different from the vast olive groves of southern Spain.

The olive trees grow on shallow, limestone soil, conditions to which the Arbequina variety must adapt during its vegetative cycle. Added to this is the climatic character of this area of the Ebro Valley, situated in a transitional territory where olive trees coexist with other crops characteristic of Riojan agriculture.

Organic management plays an essential role in the conservation of this environment. The family avoids fertilizers and chemical treatments incompatible with organic production, seeking to reduce soil and water contamination and maintain a greater natural balance within the farm. This system may entail lower yields and higher production costs, but it is part of the philosophy that has defined the project since its origins.

The location of the oil mill next to the production environment in Alfaro also allows for a direct connection between the field and production. Olives can quickly move from the tree to the mill, an especially important aspect when working with early-harvest fruits intended to produce high-quality EVOO.

In this way, El Cascajo, the Arbequina variety, and the landscape between Mount Yerga and the Ebro constitute the territorial pillars of Almazara Ecológica de La Rioja. ISUL is, to a large extent, the result of bottling the characteristics of an organic olive grove cultivated in one of the northernmost territories of the Spanish olive oil tradition.