WINE grapes and olives are proving to be perfect partners on Sam and Elizabeth Mancini's irrigation property, formerly noted for its popcorn, maize, seed sunflowers and vegetables.

Rows of grain silos are the only indication of the Mancinis' past enterprises, centred on three farms totalling 540ha at Whitton, near Griffith, in southern NSW.

    AT A GLANCE
  • Who: Sam Mancini
  • What: grapes and olives
  • Why: perfect partners
  • Where: Whitton, NSW
  • Report: LINDSAY HAYES

Sam, a first-generation Australian with Italian parents, has been farming here for 42 years.

His parents, like all local farmers of their vintage, ran sheep and grew rice and winter cereals.

"My parents were a good example of working hard to get results," Sam said.

"Hard work can still be rewarding if you are passionate, but today you have to be more in tune with the economics of production and the markets.

"So we have evolved from conventional farming to growing higher-value crops to get better returns from the available water."

The Mancini's first grapes went in during 1993, followed by the olives in October 2000.

A total of 200ha has been planted to white and red grape varieties, primarily chardonnay and shiraz, grown under contract to local wineries.

The Mancinis have a mechanical harvester and pick the crop from early February through to March, with the help of one permanent employee and casual workers.

This season's harvest started a fortnight earlier than normal, due to seasonal conditions.

Fortunately, 60mm of rain last month did not adversely affect the grapes, as would have been the case if humid days had followed.

While most of the crop has been delivered to local wineries, Sam is waiting for the nod to harvest the remaining varieties.

He said the wineries had strict harvest requirements, to optimise the quality of the grapes.

Winery inspectors check the grapes regularly and determine when they are ready for harvest.

Most of the harvest is done at night and sometimes at short notice.

"You have to be ready to go at all times," Sam said.

"They (the wineries) may have someone scheduled for harvest that night and if they can't do it, the wineries will go to the next grower on the list."

Sam has been burning the midnight oil, working through the night supervising the harvest, checking the chaser bins and providing some relief-driving.

Once the remaining grapes are harvested, Sam will have a brief respite until the olive harvest starts in April.

The olives are grown for oil production from three varieties bred in Australia from root stock imported from Tuscany.

Sam considered Spanish and Israeli varieties, but chose the Italian, as they produced the "the best extra-virgin olive oil", although he admitted his Italian background was also a factor.

The Mancinis have steadily increased olive production since their first commercial crop five years ago.

Today, their 20ha olive grove of 5400 trees produces upwards of 20,000 litres of oil.

Sam said they had increased olive and grape production to improve efficiency but some of the gains had been eroded by higher electricity and water costs.

The Mancinis use drip-irrigation on the grapes and olives and furrow irrigation elsewhere. The property relies on bore and surface water.

The olive trees, like the grape vines, are inter-row mulched to cut down on chemical spraying and to retain moisture.

Sam said the olives represented a big investment in equipment, which he confidently expected to recoup.

He said there was good growth potential in domestic markets, as well as export opportunities.

"In excess of 90 per cent of olive oil is imported into Australia and much of it is not true to label," he said. "Some of the imported oil is mixed with canola and other oils and is not extra virgin."

The Mancini's oil is processed locally and stored on farm in cool-room conditions in a purpose-built bottling and packaging plant.

"Sydney and rural NSW are our main markets and we sell to restaurants and up-market delis," Sam said.

"Our label, 'The Little General' , was a term of endearment for me when I was a little boy."

A photo of Sam taken in the early 1950s shows him smartly attired in a double-breasted coat.

Extra-virgin olive oil is sold in 100ml and 500ml bottles and in one-litre and five-litre tins.

"We do our own marketing with two fantastic staff in Sydney and we handle our own distribution," he said.

Sam visited Italy last November to study production, packaging and storage techniques and was heartened by his findings.

"We seem to be more conscious of quality, hence there is no reason why Australian olive oil can't be exported," he said.

Sam champions the quality and purity of the home-grown product at every opportunity.

He is a member of the Wagga Wagga Olive Oil Sensory Panel, the only internationally accredited panel in Australia.

The Mancini's product has been recognised in Italy, where in 2006 it won two awards in an international competition for olive oils produced in the southern hemisphere.

"Our future plans are to continue to go for efficiency gains and to develop our marketing," Sam said.

"We would like to export a portion of our oil and we are looking at Asia and Eastern bloc countries.

"We've already had positive inquiries."