Sierra of olive and wines

Sucked into the vortex of the Subbética mountains, I whip round the bends to reach the charming Finca Las Encinas, source of some authentic rural recipes Downhill is the silhouette of Iznájar, yet another pueblo blanco crowned by a castle. On the way, I pass battered Land Rovers and tractors hauling trailers stacked with purple and black fruit, or see them lined up outside olive mills. It’s a race—the sooner the olives are pressed, the better the oil In fact, the entire area is renowned for award-winning extra virgin olive oils made from hojiblanca, picual, or picuda olives, ripened by furnace-like summer temperatures and (usually) watered by winter rains Seasonal workers from Morocco help out during the intense winter months of harvesting—another ironic hark back. The green nectar is an addiction in these parts because, as they say, “Aceite de oliva, todo mal quita!” (Olive oil cures all ills).