Geography

• Location: Province of Jaén, Andalusia, Spain
• Altitude: 800 to 2167 meters (Pico Mágina, highest point)
• Olive growing zone: 1000 to 1500 meters (optimal area)
• Natural park area: 19,900 hectares
• Status: Protected Natural Park since 1989

Climate

• Type: Mountain Mediterranean with continental influence
• Temperature range: minus 5°C in winter, 40°C in summer
• Rainfall: 600 to 800 mm per year (mainly autumn to spring)
• Snow: Frequent above 1500 m from December to March
• Winds: Strong and constant, creating natural water stress

Biodiversity

• Fauna: Golden eagles, Iberian ibex, foxes, wild boar
• Flora: Holm oaks, pine trees, thyme, rosemary, wild lavender
• Pollinators: Wild bees, endemic butterflies

A preserved ecosystem where the olive tree has naturally integrated for more than two thousand years.

Water stress. an unexpected ally

In the mountains, olive trees suffer. Constant wind, poor soil, extreme temperature swings. everything is harder.

And yet, it is precisely this difficulty that creates excellence.

The mechanism:

1. The olive tree perceives water stress (lack of water, harsh conditions)
2. In a survival response, it increases its natural defenses
3. These defenses are polyphenols, antioxidants, aromatic compounds
4. Result: an exceptionally rich and intense olive oil

Comparison:

• Low altitude irrigated olives (50 to 200 m). 200 to 300 mg/kg of polyphenols
• Mountain dry farming olives (1000 to 1500 m). 500 to 800 mg/kg of polyphenols

Stress = quality:

It is counterintuitive but scientifically proven. the more the olive tree struggles (within reasonable limits), the better the oil.

Thermal amplitude: the aromatic secret

In Sierra Mágina, day night temperature differences can reach 20 to 25°C.

• Day. 35 to 40°C in summer
• Night. 15 to 20°C

Effect on the olive:

• During the day. intense photosynthesis, sugar accumulation
• At night. metabolic slowdown, concentration of aromas

It is the same principle as great mountain wines. thermal amplitude creates an aromatic complexity impossible to achieve in lowlands.

PICORIA oil inherits this complexity: intense green fruitiness, multiple herbal notes, remarkable persistence.

Limestone soil: the source of minerality

Sierra Mágina sits on a limestone and dolomitic bedrock rich in magnesium.

Advantages for the olive tree:

• Excellent natural drainage (no stagnant water)
• Deep rooting (three to five meters)
• Constant mineral supply
• Ideal pH for Picual (7.5 to 8)

Effect on the oil. The minerality of the soil can be tasted in the oil. a sensation of freshness, liveliness, almost a saline touch on the finish.

Olive oil sommeliers speak of the “minerality of Sierra Mágina” the same way wine experts speak of the minerality of Chablis.

Protected since 1989

Sierra Mágina is not just a mountain. it has been an officially protected Natural Park since 1989.

What this means:

• Sustainable agriculture is mandatory
• Chemical pesticides are forbidden (even before organic standards)
• Biodiversity must be protected
• Construction is strictly limited
• Landscapes are preserved

For PICORIA, being located inside this natural park is not a marketing claim. it is a geographical reality that naturally imposes environmental respect.

Integrated biodiversity

In the olive groves of Sierra Mágina, farming is not done in monoculture.

Between the olive trees, you will find:

• Wild herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and lavender
• Bee friendly flowering plants
• Nest boxes for birds of prey (natural rodent control)
• Dry stone walls that shelter micro fauna

This biodiversity creates a natural balance: fewer diseases, fewer pests, optimal pollination.

The bees that forage on Sierra Mágina’s wildflowers indirectly contribute to the quality of our olives.

Everything is connected.

900 inhabitants, five generations of know-how

The PICORIA estate is located near Arbuniel, a small village clinging to the mountainside at 1100 meters of altitude.

A place suspended in time:

• A traditional Andalusian village with white houses and narrow streets
• 900 inhabitants today, compared with 3000 in the 1960s
• An economy centered on olives for centuries
• Family farming passed down from father to son

Here, people do not “make” olive oil. they live it, breathe it, and pass it on.

The children of Arbuniel grow up watching their parents harvest every October. They learn to recognize the perfect moment to pick.
This knowledge is not learned from books. it is transmitted in the fields.

Marco Martos Encinas, owner of the PICORIA estate, comes from this tradition. Five generations before him worked these very same olive trees.

1880 : The beginnings

Marco’s great great grandfather acquires the first plots on the heights of Arbuniel.
At that time, growing olives at high altitude is considered madness. too difficult, not profitable enough.

But he intuitively understands what science will prove a century later. altitude means quality.

1920–1950: Expansion and transmission

The following generations gradually expand the estate. Each generation plants new olive trees, some of which are now more than 100 years old.

The philosophy remains unchanged: dry farming, hand harvesting, and deep respect for the tree.

1980–2000: Marco, the unexpected heir

Marco Martos Encinas was not meant to become an olive grower. A high level professional cyclist, he spent years racing across Europe.

But at age 30, an injury ends his career. He returns to Arbuniel, rediscovers the family estate. and falls in love with it.

The olive tree becomes his new passion. With the rigor and discipline of a top athlete, Marco studies, experiments, and perfects his craft.e.

2020–2025:  PICORIA, the turning point

In partnership with Anthony Decourbe, Marco creates PICORIA. the brand that finally brings this exceptional terroir to the international stage.

The goal is clear: to make Sierra Mágina known worldwide and to prove that a small artisanal production can stand alongside the greatest names.

Five generations have led to this moment. And this is only the beginning.

Sierra Mágina vs Tuscany (Italy)

Conclusion: Tuscany equals elegance. Sierra Mágina equals power.

Sierra Mágina vs Crete (Greece)

Conclusion.: Crete represents a millennia old maritime tradition. Sierra Mágina represents a millennia old mountain tradition.

Sierra Mágina vs Provence (France)

How Sierra Mágina finds its way into PICORIA oil

When you taste PICORIA, you taste:

• The wild thyme and rosemary growing between the olive trees
• The minerality of the limestone soil, that fresh sensation on the finish
• The intense sunlight, the source of its powerful green fruitiness
• The mountain winds, concentrating the aromas
• The resilience of the olive tree, reflected in its rich polyphenol content

This is not just olive oil. It is Sierra Mágina in liquid form.

Why it is so difficult (and why we do it anyway)

The constraints:

• Steep terrain → impossible to mechanize
• Difficult access → complex logistics
• Low yields → reduced profitability
• Extreme climate → higher risks
• High labor requirements → elevated costs

So why continue ?

• Unmatched quality that cannot be reproduced in lowlands
• Preservation of a heritage spanning five generations
• Local employment (15 to 20 people during harvest)
• Environmental respect through integrated agriculture
• Pride in the land and the desire to pass on something unique

We do not make olive oil to become rich. We make olive oil because we love these mountains, these olive trees, this land.

October: the month where everything happens

Every year in October, it becomes a race against time:

Week 1: daily observation of ripening

Week 2:  polyphenol testing on samples

Week 3: harvest decision (a three to four day window)

Week 4: full team mobilization

Timing is CRITICAL.

• Too early means olives not fully developed
• Too late means losing 10 to 15 percent of polyphenols every week

At 1200 to 1500 meters of altitude, nothing is predictable. Weather can change abruptly, and a single storm can delay the harvest by several days.

Marco sleeps very little in October. Every morning, he climbs up to check the state of the olives. Every evening, he studies the weather forecasts.

This is mountain agriculture: humility before nature, constant adaptation, respect for the cycles.

A resilient terroir

Climate change is affecting olive growing regions all over the world. But Sierra Mágina has a natural advantage.

Altitude provides protection:

• Less extreme temperatures than in lowlands
• More stable underground water reserves
• Olive trees already adapted to stress
• Dry farming means no dependence on irrigation

Climate studies predict that by 2050, some lowland terroirs will become too hot for olive cultivation. Sierra Mágina, on the other hand, will remain viable.

Our mountain terroir is not only exceptional today. it will remain exceptional tomorrow.

Venir voir d'où vient votre huile

Chez PICORIA, nous proposons aux clients passionnés de visiter le domaine.

Au programme:

• Montée en 4x4 dans les parcelles d'altitude
• Découverte des oliviers centenaires
• Rencontre avec Marco et l'équipe
• Panorama exceptionnel sur le parc naturel
• Dégustation d'huile fraîchement pressée (en saison)
• Visite d'Arbuniel et déjeuner local

Pourquoi on fait ça ?

Parce que goûter PICORIA après avoir vu les montagnes, les oliviers, senti le vent, c'est une expérience totalement différente.

Vous ne voyez plus juste une bouteille. Vous voyez un lieu, une histoire, des visages.