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AOC — PDO — Rhône-Alpes
Wrinkled by frost, black as "bure de moine", with aromas of chocolate and vanilla that no one would expect in an olive — the Tanche de Nyons was France's very first table olive to win an appellation of origin.
Spice or condiment from Rhône-Alpes, PDO (AOP) since 1996.
The same Tanche that yields huile d'olive de Nyons PDO produces, at full ripeness, olive noire de Nyons — France's very first table olive to have obtained an appellation of origin, recognised by judgment of the Valence court as early as 24 April 1968, then consecrated as an appellation d'origine contrôlée by decree of 10 January 1994, prior to its European recognition as a PDO in 1996. Here, oil and table olive share the same exclusive variety and the same geographical area, two faces of a single terroir.
The history of the olive tree in Nyons is lost in the mists of time: according to the appellation's product specification, it was the Phoenicians and then the Greeks who taught the inhabitants along the banks of the Eygues the cultivation of the olive tree, alongside that of the vine. The trade in oil and olives then spanned the centuries as a major economic reality for the region: in the 1700 census, the inhabitants of Buis-les-Baronnies were already complaining of not having enough oil to pay their taxes, despite their numerous olive trees. But it is the Tanche — and its distinctive trait of ripening fully on the tree, wrinkling under the first onset of winter cold before being picked — that gave the olive de Nyons its unique profile.
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The secret of the olives noires de Nyons lies in a natural phenomenon that the olive growers of the Baronnies have always harnessed: harvested ripe, the Tanche partially dehydrates under the first onset of winter cold, causing fine wrinkles to appear on the skin along with a relatively high oil content. At this stage of ripeness, the olive's natural bitterness has already diminished considerably — the "bure de moine" colour, a brownish-black ranging to deep black, is the visual signature of this maturation brought to completion.
This requirement for full ripeness is enshrined in the product specification: a batch can only qualify for the appellation if it contains at least 70% black or turning olives, or at least 50% black olives and 40% wrinkled olives. The harvest opening date is set each year by the Director of the INAO, following advice from the union, based on the ripeness actually observed in the orchards.
The appellation governs three traditional preparation methods, and brine is indeed one of them: preparation in brine consists of immersion for at least three months in a 10% sodium chloride brine, the time needed for the salt to dispel bitterness through osmosis. The olive piquée, for its part, is pierced with small holes and then sprinkled with fine salt immediately after harvest: it 'weeps' its water and bitterness in a few days, but keeps for only a very short time. Natural preparation, the simplest of all, consists of sealing the fruit in an airtight container, without any additives, where a slow debittering takes place naturally. In all three cases, the product specification prohibits any chemical or preservative other than sodium chloride — cooking salt.
The olive noire de Nyons PDO is recognisable at first glance by its "bure de moine" hue — a brownish-black that can extend to black — and by its natural wrinkling, which affects at least 60% of the fruit in any marketed batch. Medium to large in shape, with a broad base and a rounded tip, it measures at least 14 mm in diameter, a requirement of the product specification. Its flesh, delicate, smooth and fragrant, comes away cleanly from the stone.
On the palate, the experience is unexpected: fruity aromas of ripe olive unfold, depending on the preparation method, into notes of chocolate, vanilla, undergrowth or red berries. The flavour is mild, the bitterness having already been reduced by ripening on the tree and then by debittering, with a melt-in-the-mouth texture that has nothing in common with the firm, crunchy olives harvested green. This is an olive for savouring, to be lingered over rather than casually nibbled.
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Olives noires de Nyons are served as an aperitif, simply arranged on a plate with a drizzle of huile de Nyons and thyme. They go into the making of tapenade — where their mildness creates a rounder, less acrid tapenade than those made with green olives — as well as fougasses, Provençal pizzas and salades niçoises. A few sliced olives over fresh pasta, a veal escalope or a roast fillet of pollock are enough to transform an ordinary dish.
Since: 1994
Area covered: 53 communes in southern Drôme (26) + northern Vaucluse (84)
Key requirements: Tanche variety exclusively · harvest at full ripeness (min. 70% black/turning olives) · minimum size 14 mm · natural wrinkling (min. 60% of fruits) · no preservatives other than salt · preparation within the PDO (AOP) area
Since: 1996
Area covered: 53 communes in southern Drôme (26) + northern Vaucluse (84)
Key requirements: European registration of the appellation d'origine contrôlée, confirming the requirements of the national product specification.
Artisan oil miller
Artisan oil miller
Family farm
Family farm
Co-operative
GAEC
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Moulin Ramade states that it was founded in 1904, the year Jules Ramade, a food merchant based in Carpentras who was captivated by the Nyons terroir, bought a mill in the town. The company, which has remained family-run, celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2024. It offers huile d'olive de Nyons PDO (AOP), olive noire de Nyons, tapenade and Affinade — a Nyons black olive purée with a dash of olive oil, created in 2014. The mill welcomes visitors, with tastings, in winter during the harvesting and production period.
| Address | 7 Imp. du Moulin, 26110 Nyons, France |
| 04 75 26 08 18 | |
| moulinramade@orange.fr | |
| moulinramade.com | |
| Visits | Yes |
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Part of the production is certified organic, since 1996. |
Artisan oil miller
Huilerie Richard describes itself as an artisan oil miller, producing olive oils and vegetable oils since 1885. It prides itself on a family spirit upholding the tradition of "oil producers and composers of flavours", across four mills — in Nyons, Uzès, and Les Mées for olive oil, and in Montoison for walnut, hazelnut, and toasted rapeseed oils. The house offers mill tours by appointment. Its range includes PDO (AOP) olive oils from Nyons and Provence — including an organic selection —, olives and tapenades, as well as sweet and savoury delicacies. It sells its products through a network of eleven shops (Nyons, Uzès, Les Mées, Montoison, Aouste-sur-Sye, Tain-l'Hermitage, Lyon, Grenoble) and door-to-door sales representatives.
| Address | 69 Av. Frédéric Mistral, 26110 Nyons, France |
| +33 4 75 26 47 53 | |
| huilerie-richard.com | |
| Facebook page | |
| @huilerierichard | |
| Visits | Yes — tastings all year round |
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Part of the production is certified organic, since 1996. |
Co-operative
Founded in 1923, the Coopérative du Nyonsais now brings together olive and wine growers from the Nyonsais, in the Drôme. It markets its products under the Vignolis brand, including huile d'olive de Nyons PDO (AOP), olive noire de Nyons PDO and Affinade®, a black olive spread. It is listed in the directory of the Syndicat de l'Olive de Nyons et des Baronnies among the authorised operators of the appellation, registered as a mill offering direct farm sales and a range certified Agriculture Biologique.
In the heart of Nyons, the Espace Vignolis welcomes visitors around its shop, a museum dedicated to the olive tree, and guided tours of the mill with tasting. The co-operative also offers organic olives and olive oil, as well as Côtes-du-Rhône and Coteaux des Baronnies wines under its own cuvées.
Paris
| Address | Place Olivier de Serres, 26110 Nyons, France |
| +33 4 75 26 95 00 | |
| vignolis.fr | |
| Visits | Yes |
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Part of the production is certified organic, since 1996. |
