About us - Andante Olive Oil

The story of Andante Olive Estate is one deeply rooted in family, heritage, and the land itself. The original farm, Windvlak, was given as a wedding gift by Hendrik Nel to his daughter Maudi when she married Jack Basson, grandfather of the current owner, Jan Hendrik Basson. Many years later, Jan Hendrik and his wife purchased the farm from his father, Jannie Basson, and uncle, Whitey Basson, in 1998 — continuing the family’s proud farming legacy.

In 2006, a portion of Windvlak was sold to the Duminy family, who renamed it Wereldsgeluk and developed it into the Andante Olive Estate. Under Jan Hendrik’s management and oil-making expertise, the estate soon gained acclaim for its exceptional extra virgin olive oils. Then, in September 2024, the story came full circle when the Basson family regained ownership — reuniting the land and preparing for its next chapter under the name Geluk 22, as listed on the original title deed.

Today, Jan Hendrik Basson (Jnr.) has joined the family business, ensuring the continuation of this remarkable legacy. Together, the Bassons remain devoted to sustainable, natural, and ethical olive oil production, taking meticulous care from harvest to press.

The estate’s flagship oil, Andante Intenso, has received numerous international accolades, including Best in the Southern Hemisphere at the Brazil IOOC, fifteen consecutive golds at the SA Olive Competition, and seven Absa Top 10 awards. Ranked South Africa’s number one olive oil by Olive Oil Times, Andante continues to embody the harmony between heritage, craftsmanship, and nature. Visitors are welcome to enjoy formal tastings by appointment or purchase Andante oils online.

Our Olive Oils

Delicate

Forte

Intenso

Mezzo

Extra virgin olive oil (evoo) should have a fresh olive-fruity aroma, some bitterness and pepperiness. Our various Andante blends emphasise these characteristics in different cultivars
and blends.

All our evoo conforms to International Olive Council technical chemical standards and is organoleptically sound (no taste defects). Since we do not refine oil or produce pomace oil, we have only the Free Fatty Acids (FFA’s) and peroxide values analysed by Wynland laboratory. If any further tests (such as K 270) are required, the analyses can be obtained at extra cost.

We make Andante branded evoo ourselves from seven of the eight cultivars of olives produced on our own olive estate.

Allegretto branded extra virgin olive oil is made in our own mill from our own olives and from olives obtained from other selected producers. The blend consists of a cross-section of the harvest and represents the production and flavours of the particular season.

Andante and Allegretto evoo are both produced on a two-phase custom-built Toscana Oenologica Mori olive mill. It incorporates a proprietary computerised control system with electronic data recording and traceability of each batch.