CleverRoot

f a l l 2 0 1 8 | 4 7 High in the Taygetos Mountains of Greece's Peloponnese peninsula during ancient times, the villagers of Lykovouno would scan the distant Mediterranean, lighting bonfires to warn the militant city-state of Sparta on the plains far below of impending invasion. Today, the ruins of Lykovouno are an archeo- logical site, its inhabitants having abandoned the village for better water in nearby Dafni well over a century ago. But the ancient village has a newer claim to fame, as it's now lending its name to one of the best olive oils on the mar- ket: Lykovouno Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil, created by San Francisco–based dermatologist Dr. Peter Panagotacos. Panagotacos' grandparents emigrated from the Peloponnese as teenagers (when his ma- ternal grandmother arrived in San Francisco in 1906, the city was still smoking from fires ignited by the Great Earthquake). After traveling and lecturing in Greece, Panagota- cos saw an opportunity to create a truly top- notch Greek olive oil on his family's ancestral land. Working with a cousin who still resides there, he planted 4,000 Koroneiki olive trees on the estate, located just 13 miles from the Mediterranean. ("The Koroneiki variety is the classic olive for Laconia and Crete," Panagotacos says.) Mt. Taygetos to the west, one of the highest mountains in Greece at 7,800 feet, provides a stunning backdrop to the rows of neatly spaced, dusky-green trees now numbering 9,000. "Lykovouno, Dafni, and my olive estate form almost a perfect triangle," the amiable Pana- gotacos tells The Clever Root. A well-known dermatologic surgeon who teaches hair- transplant technology in places as far-flung as Athens (where he is a visiting professor at the university) and Vietnam, Panagotacos is always eager to discuss the ties between his olive-oil project and the rich history of the re- gion, on which he is also an expert. He's quick to address, for example, the common—and mistaken—assumption that Lykovouno means "wolf mountain." "Lykovouno means 'twilight mountain,' from the Greek word lykofos," he explains. "From up there you can see the first light of dawn and the last glimmer of sun in the evening." While Panagotacos first planted the estate in 1985, he didn't begin selling Lykovouno Olive Oil until 1999: Olive trees are slow- growing and often take a minimum of 15 years to bear harvestable fruit. Like grape vines, olive trees pro- duce better fruit when planted in rocky, low- vigor clay soils, and Panagotacos went to the expense of digging a 100-meter-deep well to provide water. While awaiting the first crop, he took courses in agriculture at the University of California, Davis, and consulted with members of the California Olive Oil Council. "Greece produces 20 percent of the world's olive oil, but most is sent to Italy, where it's mixed with milder oils and sold as Italian olive oil," Panagotacos says, adding that Lykovouno is cold-pressed and bottled on the estate. Particularly proud of the brand's potent, grassy, and undiluted flavor, he also notes its health benefits. "The antioxidants in olive oil that cause a cough in the back of your throat are what provide the health properties," he explains. "That's why we don't remove them. This is not an olive oil to bake a cake with!" Panagotacos suggests using Lykovouno Extra Virgin Olive Oil on Greek or caprese salads, on bruschetta, drizzled over vegetables or fish, or even spread on morning toast for breakfast. "We put it on everything!" he says. While Panagotacos does sell Lykovouno in Greece, most of the oil is destined for the U.S., where it's currently available at Whole Foods in Southern California and Mollie Stone's Markets in the Bay Area. Distributed from his home base of San Francisco, Lykovouno has proved unexpectedly popular, prompting Panagotacos to continue expanding production in order to keep up with retail demand. He says selling to restaurants has so far proved "too complicat- ed" logistically, though he might be willing to sell his golden, labor-intensive product in bulk with a suitable upfront deposit. In November and December, Panagotacos and his family gather at the estate to assist with the yearly harvest. The olives are all har- vested by hand, with sheets spread under the trees and the workers bundled up to protect themselves from the winter chill. It's a ritual that dates back to antiquity: Looking down from the heights, the villagers of ancient Lyko- vouno would be proud. For reviews of Lykovouno Extra Virgin Olive Oil, see the Summer 2018 issue of The Clever Root. PHOTO COURTESY OF LYKOVOUNO OLIVE OIL PHOTO COURTESY OF LYKOVOUNO OLIVE OIL The olive trees planted on the Lykovouno estate, established near Dafni by Dr. Peter Panagotacos, now number 9,000. ■cr Award-winning Lykovouno Extra Virgin Olive Oil is hand-harvested, cold- pressed, and bottled on the Lykovouno estate in southern Greece.

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