"Now hit the tree with force," says the gardener, trying to suppress his laughter at the sight of me swinging a garden rake at a Koroneiki olive tree. With the sound of raindrops, a dozen grape-sized fruits land on a green mesh cloth on the floor to catch them. They are then transferred to a truck and finally to a factory where the oil is extracted.
It's harvest season in Messenia, the lush mountainous region of the Peloponnese famous for its olives - and there couldn't be a better setting to go picking them. We are on the Navarino Dunes in Costa Navarino, a 1000 hectare private development three hours' drive from Athens, surrounded by bright green rolling hills, fruit trees and one of the many perfectly maintained golf courses on site. The others are in and around the four luxury hotels on site, including the W and the recently opened Mandarin Oriental.
The project was the brainchild of Greek entrepreneur Captain Vassilis Constantakopoulos, whose vision was to transform the sleepy region where he was born into a thriving tourism business with an emphasis on sustainability, while creating employment for locals. When construction began around 2005, Costa Navarino initiated a conservation program to relocate all olive trees uprooted during the development process. The organization successfully planted all 7,000 trees and added more than 9,900 new native trees and more than 1,089,000 endemic shrubs of various species to the existing landscape.
Every year the region produces 50,000 to 55,000 tons of 'liquid gold', 95% of which is cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil. Through in-depth tastings, Christina Stribakou, an olive producer and owner of LIÁ Cultivators, gives visitors like me insight into the long history of olive production in the region. "Most visitors who come to Messenia think that we make the oil from the famous Kalamata olives, but that is not the case. Kalamata are table olives. Here we grow the Koroneiki category," she explains.
The story continues
Neatly laid out in front of us are three sake cup-sized bowls, each with a different type of olive oil, with slices of freshly prepared bread - a marriage made in heaven. "Centuries ago, the tsars sent boats full of oil from the port city of Koroneiki to Sicily. Delighted Italians shouted 'Koroneiki!' and that is how the name of the variety came about. We harvest the fruits of Koroneiki when they are still green because they provide more antioxidants and better flavor and taste," she says as we sip, swirl and swallow the first sample.
"It is important to take the fruit to the mill immediately after harvest and start the process. Olive oil is not like the production of wine. It does not require fermentation to get the color or the aromas. For an olive oil producer, fermentation means a defect. ," she explains.
Today, Koroneiki is an internationally sought after breed due to its ability to withstand high temperatures and cold periods. Despite this, the past few years have been very challenging for all olive farmers in the Mediterranean, says Christina. 2023 was the hottest summer on record worldwide, causing droughts and flash floods in Italy, Spain and Greece.
While olive oil producers fight for survival, consumers are feeling the pressure. Major corporations are driving up the prices of olive oil, with the cost per gallon doubling within a year. Through the Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation, Costa Navarino supports and educates local producers and the wider culinary community by organizing a series of seminars and workshops. It also provides an in-depth awareness of local products and guidance on sustainable ways to develop agricultural and entrepreneurship skills in the agri-food sector. It is therefore no surprise that refined, home-grown olive oil takes center stage in many Messenian dishes.
About 15 minutes from Costa Navarino in the picturesque village of Pylos, I make my way to a rustic-looking traditional house on the hilltop to meet restauranteurs Loula and Annna. They will teach me the art of local cooking and between them they have five decades of experience cooking for their family and own a local eatery.
The menu features the main Messenian salad celebrating products of the region: a mix of onions, peppers, juicy tomatoes and local cheese soaked in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The fresh, spicy salad includes a traditional zucchini pie, a filo pastry dish made with eggs, flour, grated zucchini, milk and feta. If you eat meat, enjoy gournopoula, a roast piglet with juicy sweet flesh and irresistibly crispy crackling.
No Messenian dinner party is complete without locally produced wine, a tradition dating back to 6500 BC. In an area of 55 hectares, Navarino Vineyards have planted organic varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and some local favorites, all harvested and pressed by hand in their winery. We tasted the 1827 series, named after the historic naval battle at Navarino. Our bottle of chilled Chardonnay worked wonderfully to ease the Greek heat and excess.
More than 60 percent of the raw materials used in the kitchens of Costa Navarino's 14 restaurants come from local producers and companies in Messinia within a radius of 100 km. Most vegetables, meat and fish come from local villages within a 10 km radius.
Here you can sample some of the region's fresh, seasonal, local and organic ingredients.
Barbouni at The Romanos
We sit a few inches above the silky sand that stretches as far as the eye can see. Before us lies a vast turquoise Ionian sea, and above it is the restaurant's showstopper: a fluttering canopy made with thin fabric strips designed to mimic the waves and move fluidly to the rhythm of the breeze. Barbouni, which means mullet, is Costa Navarino's intimate restaurant, both during the day and at sunset.
Designed with natural materials in muted tones, Barbouni serves freshly caught fish, grilled meats and signature delicacies such as grilled octopus with broad bean puree and calamari with pesto and cheese. The menu also includes a selection of salad and vegetable dishes, most of which come from neighboring farms.
Flame Restaurant in the Navarino Dunes
If Barbouni is all about water, Flame pays tribute to the breathtaking landscape that gives the Peloponnese its appeal: rolling hills, a carpet-like golf course and the region's thriving flora. The informal daytime setting turns into a romantic evening away with floor lamps and relaxing sofas.
Flame is a delight for meat eaters. As well as chicken and lamb from Messenia, there is also a selection of Wagyu from Japan and specialist sustainable farms in Australia, as well as grass-fed Irish beef. Groups of five to six people can order a feast of mixed meat for as much as 960 euros. Vegetarians are well catered for with plenty of delicious options from all over the world: Italian, French and Greek.
Parelia at W Costa Navarino
This Beach Club, located in the W hotel, brings the Ibiza atmosphere to the Greek coast. Overlooking the sunbeds and the sea beyond, Parelia attracts a much younger crowd who want to dine to melodious techno tunes played by acclaimed DJs, and then dance until the sun rises.
Guests can choose to sit in one of three seating areas: a formal indoor area next to a bar, the courtyard with the warmth of a Greek house (and an olive tree), and the sea-view terrace covered with curtains that act as room dividers and sunscreen.
Unwind with some of their specialty cocktails before choosing from a wide selection of sharing plates that celebrate contemporary Greek cuisine with a Mediterranean twist.
How do you get there?
Aegean Airlines flies from London Heathrow to Athens from £120. Costa Navarino is a three-hour drive from the airport. Alternatively, you can fly to Kalamata, a 40-minute drive from the property.
The details
There are four hotels on site to suit all budgets. The Westin is a family-friendly resort with plenty of pools and kids' areas (rooms from £230 per night). Next door, The Romanos ups the level of luxury (rooms from £280 per night). A 10-minute drive away is the W Costa Navarino (rooms from £300 per night), next door is the recently opened Mandarin Oriental (rooms from £1,700 per night). costanavarino.com.
