ENŌTIS Olive Oil Museum: Dive into the history of olive oil production in Corfu

We spent a morning at the Enōtis Olive Groves facilities and traveled back in time, into the long history of olive oil production in Corfu.

Nestled within a lush green landscape in Vistonas, Corfu, the ENŌTIS Olive Oil Museum lies very close to the famed Paleokastritsa and awaits visitors to explore it. It is a small museum with free admission that aims to inform the public about the history of the Corfiot olive and olive oil. There, the Konstantis family welcomed us and guided us through the facilities they keep in impeccable condition.

The history of Enōtis

Enōtis is a fifth-generation family business, actively involved in olive oil production on Corfu, an island with history and tradition in this field. The Konstantis family acquired its first olive mill 80 years ago, although its involvement began in 1897. Today it owns five different olive mills. Their olive groves are among the oldest on the island, spanning 300 stremmas, with 4,000 centuries-old olive trees of the Lianolia Corfu variety.

Every year they produce over 20 tons of extra virgin olive oil, which has come to be synonymous with the Greek diet over the centuries. Enōtis vision is the promotion of the Corfiot variety not only throughout the country but also abroad.

Olive oil production

The unique taste and high nutritional value of the company’s olive oil are the result of meticulous care at every stage of production, as well as the passion and hard work of the members of the Konstantis family. Corfu’s rich soil contributes to the product’s excellent organoleptic characteristics and helps create an exceptional product.

Enōtis olive oil meets all specifications at every stage of its production. The Konstantis family’s olives are harvested by hand and processing takes place within a short time using the "cold extraction" method to preserve the olive oil’s taste and quality. The fruit of all this is the creation of two unique Extra Virgin Olive Oils, the rare Kalon and the aromatic Agathon.

The ENŌTIS Olive Oil Museum

We embarked on a unique journey through Corfu’s history and culture when we stepped through the doors of the ENŌTIS Olive Oil Museum. We were guided through the museum’s spaces and learned about the history of the olive and olive oil through the family’s and local traditional olive-making.

In addition, we discovered the old traditional machines that the Konstantis family has collected over the years and which have been passed down from generation to generation. The museological study and the co-design of the exhibition space was carried out by the Ionian University.

We learned about the history of the olive and olive oil production in Corfu, with references from the island’s tradition, and about how the olive groves are cultivated and cared for, from pruning to harvest, through tools and photographs. Standouts included references to the transformation of production from the traditional means of 1897–1910 to the use of new machinery from the mid-20th century. Finally, we were also informed about the traditional methods of storing olive oil in tanks and large earthenware jars.

Tasting

After the tour, a tasting followed of the olive oils and the products produced by Enōtis based on the olive and olive oil. They explained everything about the taste and quality of olive oil while at the same time we saw up close their entire product range and the various souvenirs available at the Museum Shop.