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<pre>Brian and others,
As you are aware much of the plantings in Australia have either been based
on a 'shotgun approach', especially where no previous local groves exist; on
advice from nurserymen and plant stockists, or on a perceived notion of what
the market likes or will like.
There is another restraining aspect to the selection of cultivars for Oz -
that is the availability of certain varieties.
I am in agreement with one of your earlier suggestions that by planting
'known' successful varieties at least there is a greater chance of getting a
'known' product - that is if those selected varieties suit the geographic
and climatic conditions of the planting area.
For my own taste I prefer the grassy, peppery taste of oils from Northern
Italy and by fortunate circumstance find that varieties from that part of
the world are doing well in the slightly cooler, somewhat humid coastal
conditions of Tanja [Southeast corner of Australia]. I would like to extend
the planting of other varieties from the same area, for pollination and
blending reasons, but as yet they are not available [such as Moraiolo and
Maurino ].
I know that there are efforts to bring some of these 'new' varieties into
Australia but, understandably, the quarantine authorities are taking a
cautious approach in order to save us from pests and diseases that are a
blight in foreign countries. It seems odd to me that N.Z. seems to have some
of these varieties already and yet we are attempting to source them from
Italy. Is there some doubt about the authenticity of the N.Z. stock?
I'm sure the situation will change over the next decade as we eventually
shake out some problems [ mislabelling, poor advice and cultivar promotion ]
and gradually find out what grows where well and what the market desires.
I would like to think that if buyers become discerning and growers adapt
their plantings to the requirements of their particular area then the olive
industry might follow the wine industry pattern where particular regions
become noted for particular oils and buyers may look for oils of a certain
cultivar or region. Of course, like the wine industry, there should be room
for the bulk [supermarket] end of the market as well as the boutique
[speciality] operation.
With olive growing, in Australia, covering an area far greater than the
whole of the Mediterranean basin we should expect some differences and
celebrate the diversity rather than hope for a universal product. When I go
[regularly!] to my local wine merchant I do not simply ask for 'a' bottle
of wine. I hope not to simply ask for 'a' bottle of EVOO in my delicatessen
in the future.

Alan Watt, Tanja Olives



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