Picholine
also called Picholine du Languedoc, Coiasse, Collias, Olive de NîmesThe reference French cocktail olive — lye-treated then brine-fermented for up to a year — and the sole principal variety of AOP Nîmes. Its name has been borrowed by an unrelated Moroccan cultivar that now dominates an entire national industry.
Picholine Marocaine — a genetically distinct cultivar
| Also called | Picholine du Languedoc, Coiasse, Collias, Olive de Nîmes |
|---|---|
| Main regions | Gard, France; reported in Italy, Israel, Chile, Tunisia, USA |
| Purpose | Dual-purpose — best known as a green cocktail olive |
| Oil yield | 20–22%, falling to 15–18% under irrigation |
| Harvest | October–November green for the table; later and black for oil |
| Designations | AOP Nîmes |
| Not the same as | Picholine Marocaine — a genetically distinct cultivar |
In the grove
Aroma and flavour descriptors
- 1Green apple
- 2Pear
- 3Grass
- 4Hay
Descriptors from French variety references, which give a very green fruitiness with light bitterness and pungency. No published panel medians.
Ordered by how often each recurs in the published varietal literature, not by measured intensity. Our panel has not scored a monovarietal Picholine oil, and no sensory panel data for it is published. 40 of the 40 varieties here read the same way.
This shelf fills when the panel scores an oil made from this variety. 19 of the 40 varieties here are in the same state today.
Picholine against the other France varieties
| Variety | Origin region | Used for | Polyphenols | Shelf stability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aglandau | Provence | Dual-purpose | Not published | Not published |
| Picholine | Collias, Gard, Languedoc | Dual-purpose | Not published | Not published |
Sources
- IOC World Catalogue — Picholine du Languedoc
- IOC World Catalogue — Picholine Marocaine
- France Olive — French varieties
Every figure on this page carries a source. Where we could not find one we say so rather than estimating. Corrections are welcome and credited.