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Mueloliva

Mueloliva is a family business dedicated to the production and marketing of olive oil in Priego de Córdoba, in the heart of the Sierras Subbéticas of Córdoba. Its history began in 1942, when Mateo Muela Velasco initiated the family’s activity in the olive oil sector, laying the foundations for a project that has continued to grow and evolve over several generations.

Since its origins, Mueloliva has maintained a close relationship with the olive groves of the Priego de Córdoba region, one of the Spanish areas most renowned for the quality of its oils. What began as a family activity progressively incorporated new facilities, technology, and control systems, adapting to the evolution of the sector without losing its connection to the territory.

Currently, the company remains linked to the Muela family and combines decades of experience with modern production, storage, and packaging systems. Mueloliva markets different ranges of oil, among which Venta del Barón stands out, its premium EVOO and one of the house's most recognized references.

More than eight decades after its beginnings, Mueloliva represents the union of family tradition, innovation, and Cordovan olive growing culture. Its location in Priego de Córdoba and the knowledge accumulated since 1942 have allowed the company to develop an identity closely linked to the oils of the Sierras Subbéticas.

Hojiblanca and Picuda: two essential varieties in their EVOO

The production of Mueloliva's highest-quality oils is closely linked to two varieties characteristic of the Priego de Córdoba region: Hojiblanca and Picuda. Both are deeply rooted in the Sierras Subbéticas and allow for the production of oils with high aromatic intensity and a distinct vegetal character.

One of the finest examples of this combination is Venta del Barón, crafted primarily from carefully selected Hojiblanca and Picuda olives. Special attention is paid to the condition of the fruit and the timing of the harvest, seeking olives capable of contributing freshness, complexity, and a highly expressive aroma.

Hojiblanca provides personality, freshness, and vegetal nuances, while Picuda, a variety especially representative of this area of Córdoba, contributes delicacy, complexity, and fruity notes. The combination of both yields balanced oils that feature hints of freshly cut grass, tomato, almond, apple, and green banana, along with well-integrated bitterness and pungency.

The quality of the raw material is fundamental throughout the process. The selected olives must arrive in excellent condition to be milled quickly, reducing the time between harvesting the fruit and its processing. During production, the temperature is carefully controlled to preserve the aromas and natural compounds present in the olive.

Mueloliva combines this knowledge of traditional varieties with modern facilities and control systems designed to maintain quality during production, storage, and packaging. The result is a wide range of oils, from those intended for daily use to premium EVOOs that aim to represent the varietal and sensory richness of the Priego de Córdoba olive groves.

The mountain olive groves of the Sierras Subbéticas

The territory is fundamental to understanding the identity of Mueloliva. The company is located in Priego de Córdoba, within the Sierras Subbéticas region, a mountainous landscape where olive trees occupy valleys, hillsides, and steep terrain. It is an area with a centuries-old olive-growing tradition and conditions that are especially favorable for obtaining high-quality oils.

Unlike large expanses of olive groves situated on completely flat land, much of the landscape in this region is made up of traditional mountain olive groves. The irregularity of the terrain and the slopes shape agricultural tasks and mean that cultivation and harvesting require special attention.

The Hojiblanca and Picuda varieties are perfectly integrated into this landscape. Especially important is the Picuda, an olive closely linked to the Priego de Córdoba region and one of the elements that provides uniqueness to its oils. Alongside it, the Hojiblanca forms part of a mosaic of olive groves that stretches between the mountain ranges and municipalities of southern Córdoba.

The environment also presents particular characteristics of altitude, limestone soils, and a Mediterranean climate with continental influence, featuring significant temperature differences between seasons. These conditions affect the olive tree’s vegetative cycle and the development of the olive until the time of harvest.

It is precisely from this landscape of the Sierras Subbéticas in Córdoba that much of the personality of Mueloliva’s oils is born. The combination of traditional varieties, mountain olive groves, and decades of production experience allows the Muela family to maintain a close connection between the territory of Priego de Córdoba and the oils it markets under brands such as Mueloliva and Venta del Barón.