Cobrançosa
In a same-orchard, same-season comparison it produced roughly twice the total phenols of Galega — 803 against 416 mg/kg — at a lower oleic acid. It also roots easily and takes a trunk shaker, which is why it spread out of Trás-os-Montes into the Alentejo.
In the grove
Cobrançosa is one of the main varieties of Trás-os-Montes and is widely disseminated in Beira Alta, with plantings in Beira Baixa, Ribatejo and Alentejo. It has weak to medium vigour and a spreading habit, tolerates cold and calcareous soils, and is susceptible to drought and salinity. It is tolerant of anthracnose and less troubled by olive fly than Galega.
Two practical traits explain its spread. Rooting from semi-hardwood cuttings exceeds 70%, so it propagates easily, and it is adapted to mechanical trunk-shaker harvesting. Oil yield runs 18 to 22%, ripening is medium, and harvest falls in the second half of November. It features in four Portuguese protected designations, among them Azeite de Trás-os-Montes DOP.
Compared with the other reference cultivars
| Cultivar | Origin | Typical polyphenols | Sensory profile | Best pairing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobrançosa | Trás-os-Montes, Portugal | ~803 mg/kg | Herbaceous and complex, balanced spiciness, moderate bitterness | Grilled sardines, roasted peppers, cornbread |
| Picual | Jaén, Spain | 300–700 mg/kg | Intensely green, clean bitterness, late-building pungency | Tomato salad, grilled vegetables, bread and salt |
| Coratina | Puglia, Italy | 330–410 mg/kg | Powerfully green and herbaceous, strong bitterness and pungency | Bean soups, grilled meat, bitter greens |
| Koroneiki | Messinia, Greece | Around the Greek mean; Cretan surveys 138–441 mg/kg | Green and aromatic, balanced bitterness and pungency | Greek salad, feta, grilled fish, horta |
| Arbequina | Lleida, Spain | 200–230 mg/kg | Soft, sweet entry, barely bitter, light pungency | Fish, salads, baking, mayonnaise |
| Galega Vulgar | Portugal | ~416 mg/kg | Not published from a primary source | Portuguese cooking — bacalhau, migas, caldo verde |
| Verdeal Transmontana | Trás-os-Montes, Portugal | 108–202 mg/kg in the published study | Markedly bitter and pungent, strongly vegetal, persistent | Kale soup, roast pork, chestnuts, hard cheese |
Polyphenol figures are the ranges published for each variety, not measurements of any bottle in the library. A single oil's figure depends on when it was picked and how it was milled, and is shown on that oil's own page where the producer states one.