Tsounati
also called Athinolia, Mastoidis, MatsoliaThe cold-hardy upland counterweight to Koroneiki, and an ancient variety in the literal sense — the IOC notes thousand-year-old Tsounati trees on Crete that are still in production. It holds 15 to 20% of Greece’s olive area.
Dual-purposeprimary use of the fruit
Mediumtypical polyphenol band
3oils in the library
Reference card
Shelf stability is the published Rancimat induction time
where one exists. It is measured per variety; smoke point is not, so it is not listed.
| Also called | Athinolia, Mastoidis, Matsolia |
|---|---|
| Main regions | Western Crete, southern Peloponnese |
| Purpose | Dual-purpose — oil and table |
| Oleic acid | Not published |
| Harvest | December–January; earlier where frost threatens |
| Tolerances | Strong cold resistance; moderate on drought and salt |
| Watch out for | Leaf spot, olive fly, Verticillium |
In the grove
Grove — placeholder
Fruit at harvest — placeholder
Aroma and flavour descriptors
No descriptors are published for Tsounati oil. The IOC records only "oil quality: excellent". Greek sources describe a refined oil that blends well with Koroneiki, but no descriptor set or panel median is published. We do not infer them from the fruit or from related varieties — 40 of the 40 varieties here are in the same position.
Tsounati oils in the library
From 2 producers
Tsounati against the other Greece varieties
| Variety | Origin region | Used for | Polyphenols | Shelf stability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koroneiki | Koroni, Messinia, Peloponnese | Oil | Around the Greek mean; Cretan surveys 138–441 mg/kg | Not published |
| Kalamon | Messinia, southern Peloponnese | Dual-purpose | Not published | Not published |
| Manaki | Central Greece and the northeastern Peloponnese | Dual-purpose | Not published | Not published |
| Tsounati | Western Crete and the southern Peloponnese | Dual-purpose | 173–641 mg/kg | Not published |
| Megaritiki | Megara, Attica | Dual-purpose | Not published | Not published |
| Konservolia | Amfissa and Fthiotida, central Greece | Dual-purpose | Not published | Not published |
| Chalkidiki | Chalkidiki, Central Macedonia | Dual-purpose | 290–606 mg/kg | Up to 36 h Rancimat in early-harvest oil |
Sources
- IOC World Catalogue of Olive Varieties
- Antioxidants in Greek virgin olive oils, Antioxidants 3(2):387
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.
Map · western Crete
Western Crete · 35.4° N, 24.0° E