Chiavalon
Chiavalon is a family farm that specializes in growing olives and producing high-quality extra virgin olive oil. They currently cultivate 30 hectares of olive groves around Vodnjan, with more than 9,000 olive trees at an altitude of 80 – 180 m.a.s.l. The olive mill is located right in the midst of the olive groves, just outside the old medieval town of Vodnjan.
It all started with Sandi Chiavalon as a young child, and his growing love for olive trees, which grew stronger with each visit to the small olive grove with his grandfather. He has always been fascinated by their slow growth, beauty, and the gift they give after all the hard work put in. Until 1997, Chiavalon cultivated only 50 olive trees, which were around 300–400 years old. After Sandi’s grandfather fell ill, there was nobody left to take care of their olive grove, so while his peers were busy collecting football cards and riding bikes; he had somewhat of a different hobby.
Therefore, his foremost goal was to learn everything there is to know about this extraordinary tree and produce extra virgin olive oil that would make his whole family proud. It certainly wasn't easy at the beginning, as one can imagine – a 14-year-old who wants to work can only expect an ´oh, it's just puberty´ reaction. However, his brother Tedi and his mother soon recognized his passion for olive trees and jumped in to help him. With time, this hobby grew into the family business it is today.
It takes quite a long time for the olive tree to bear fruit, so today, after so many years, the family farm can finally see the results of the work they started in 1997. Currently, Chiavalon has altogether 9,000 olive trees on their estate, mostly autochthonous olive sorts, and there are also several contracted cultivators for an additional 5,000 trees. The entire production is under certified ecological supervision. The extra virgin olive oil bears the Organic Label, as well as the Protected Designation of Origin, which both guarantee and ensure that this is certified 100% organic extra virgin olive oil from Istria. Chiavalon is committed to quality and guarantees that the oil you will receive will be the best quality and taste that you have ever experienced. It is when tradition meets modernity that new energy can be awakened.