Monterosa Olive Oil from Portugal from the Algarve
Monterosa is a small family-run olive estate in the eastern Algarve, founded in 1969 by Swedish emigrant Detlev von Rosen and now managed by his long-time employee Antonio Duarte. Five varieties of olives grow on 20 hectares, resulting in single-varietal Portuguese olive oils and carefully crafted blends with a clear Algarve signature. Pure craftsmanship, from tree to bottle.
Monterosa Olive Oil from Portugal stands for top-class single-varietal olive oils and carefully composed blends from the south of the country – a 20-hectare olive estate in Moncarapacho in the eastern Algarve, seven kilometers from the Atlantic. What began in 1969 as the life project of Swedish emigrant Detlev von Rosen is continued today by his long-time employee Antonio Duarte – with the same care, the same granite mill, and the same early hand-harvesting. Three blends, two single-varietal oils, one shared land under the Portuguese sun.
From Swedish emigrant to Algarve manufactory
Detlev von Rosen came to southern Portugal from Sweden in 1969 because he wanted to grow winter vegetables for northern European markets – the olives were added years later, almost by chance.
At first, it was iceberg lettuce, dill, and tomatoes for the Swedish winter markets, shipped by air freight to Stockholm. In 1972, the family switched to ornamental plants, but a few dry summers pointed them in a different direction: the country's old olive trees require almost no water. Thus, the olives gradually replaced an orange grove, and in 2000, the decision was made to dedicate themselves entirely to olive oil.
"We grow what grows here" – a sentence that aptly summarizes Detlev's life's work and sustains it to this day. Detlev has since passed away, but the estate lives on, carefully tended by the man who stood by his side for years and learned the craft from him.
Antonio Duarte continues the life's work
Today, Antonio Duarte manages the estate – a long-time employee of Detlev's, an olive oil expert, and an ambassador for the Algarve in three languages.
Antonio knows every tree on the 20 hectares, every harvest time, and every step from the grove to the glass. Those who visit the plantation today are personally guided through the olive groves and the granite mill by him – in Portuguese, German, or English, depending on where the guests are from. "We keep everything just as Detlev set it up," says Antonio during one of these tours, and that is exactly what one tastes in the very first drop.
Antonio did not take over the estate after Detlev's death as an inheritance, but as the continuation of a shared endeavor. The varieties are the same, the mill is the same, the meticulous care is the same – it just bears his name now. Monterosa Olive Oil therefore remains what it always was: a product from a single source, from the initial hand-picking in the grove to the dark bottle. A quiet generational change, without any break in taste or quality.
Three blends and two single-varietal oils
The five olive varieties on the estate – Verdeal, Maçanilha Algarvia, Picual, Cobrançosa, and Frantoio – are used to create three blends and two top-tier single-varietal oils. Each variety brings its own character; each blend tells a different story from the same land.
The Horta do Félix is the elegant house blend, named after the estate itself – a versatile everyday companion with notes of dried fruit and a peppery accent. The Ribeiro do Tronco is the gentle blend with Verdeal as its main voice, the successor to the former single-varietal Verdeal oil – mild, harmonious, and herb-fresh. The Cerro de São Miguel is the powerful signature blend, named after the 411-meter-high hill behind the estate, and replaces the former Selection – the house's most expressive answer, with a long almond finish.
In addition, there are two single-varietal Portuguese olive oils: The Macanilha brings the typical herb-fresh note of the indigenous Algarve olive, with notes of cut grass, parsley, and mint. The Picual is the Spanish classic on the Portuguese coast – fruity, bitter-green, with a long peppery finish. For those who want to try them all, the Monterosa Gift Set offers a great introduction to the variety of the estate.
Roman roots, early harvest, granite stone mill
Olive oil has not just been produced here since yesterday: olives were cultivated on this land as far back as Roman times.
A Roman trade route between Lisbon and Corduba once passed through Moncarapacho, and some of the gnarliest trees on the estate likely date back to those ancient roots. What began two millennia ago continues today in the mild microclimate between the Atlantic breeze, limestone, and the intense sunlight of the eastern Algarve – a piece of land where history can be seen in the trunks.
Harvesting takes place in early autumn by hand, as soon as the olives are still deep green and full of piquancy – the earlier the harvest, the more robust the resulting oil. Immediately afterwards, the olives go into the estate's own mill: ground in old granite mills, cold-extracted, and then rested for two months in stainless steel tanks before the extra virgin olive oil is bottled in dark glass. A short, honest journey from tree to glass, without long transport distances in between.
The care pays off: several Portuguese olive oils from Monterosa have been honored with gold and silver medals at international competitions – quiet proof that the Algarve plays a leading role in the world of olive oil. What makes the estate special can be summed up in three words: hand-picked, single-varietal, cold-extracted. Respect.
Mild for salad, robust for lamb
Which Portuguese olive oil when? Three recommendations among friends.
For a summer salad, tomatoes on bread, or sautéed summer vegetables, we like the mild Ribeiro do Tronco – this gentle blend settles like a quiet veil over the food without overpowering it. For everyday use in the kitchen, whether drizzled cold over finished dishes or used in the pan, Horta do Félix is the right choice: a versatile house oil that works everywhere – on bread, in vinaigrettes, over pasta, in tomato sauce.
If you prefer something robust and full of character – for grilled lamb chops, warm lentil soup, or beans in a stew – reach for the Cerro de São Miguel. The long almond finish supports any hearty dish. If you want to experience the interplay between single-varietal and blend, try the herbal Macanilha alongside the fruity Picual and you will quickly see how differently the Algarve can taste – herb-fresh, fruity, and robust, all from the same grove. You can find more from the Mediterranean region in our full olive oil selection.
