L'Olivera

Wine, olive oil, and inclusive work

L’Olivera is a worker-owned social cooperative active in rural and suburban areas. It grows grapes and olives and makes organic wines and oils, involving people who face barriers to employment throughout the process and making their abilities central to a shared project.

How it began

The project started in Vallbona de les Monges in 1974, in the dry-farming interior of Catalonia. A group led by Piarist priest Josep Maria Segura settled in the village to create a community of living and working that would include people in disadvantaged social situations and build a viable livelihood from local resources. Since 2010, L’Olivera has also worked at Can Calopa, a farmhouse in the Collserola Natural Park. There it has restored a vineyard and makes what it describes as Barcelona’s only city wine while creating opportunities for young people with special needs.

Wines and oils

The cooperative makes organic wines and extra-virgin olive oils. Its wines include Blanc de Serè, Airós, Tossudes, Agaliu, Agaliu Missenyora, Naltres, Vinyes de Barcelona Negre, L’Olivera Reserva, L’Olivera Reserva Superior, Rasim Vipansit, Rasim Vimadur, V89, Arraona Blanc, and Arraona Negre. Its oils include Oli Finques Verd 0.50 L, Oli Finques 0.50 L, Oli de Marges 0.25 L, Oli de Marges de Can Calopa 0.25 L, and Oli de Marges 1 L.

How the products are made

Handwork remains part of tending the vines and olive groves; bottles are labeled and numbered one by one. The cooperative follows organic-farming principles and extracts oil solely through mechanical methods and gentle processes intended to preserve the character of its dry-farmed Arbequina olives.

Online orders

L’Olivera has an online store that lists free shipping on orders of €60 or more.

Contact

General inquiries: olivera@olivera.org. Visits: visites@olivera.org. Can Calopa visits: visitescancalopa@olivera.org. Data protection: dpd@olivera.org. Listed full-length mobile numbers include +34 618 304 483, +34 681 062 615, +34 646 619 188, and +34 681 389 661.