'Olives noires de Nyons' are obtained from only one ancient local variety, 'Tanche', which has adapted to local conditions. The product is made from ripe olives without the use of preservatives 
 
 Origin 
 One of the oldest protected olives in Europe in 1997 (Kalamata, Greece was also recognized at the same time). 
 
 Colour 
 'Olives noires de Nyons' are obtained from only one ancient local variety, 'Tanche', which has adapted to local conditions. 
 The product is made from ripe olives without the use of preservatives. The olives have a characteristic color ranging from dark brown (bure de moine) to black and a wrinkled surface (at least 60% of the fruit). 
 The way the olives are prepared or presented for sale changes the color to some extent. It cannot be considered a defect, a manufacturing defect or a maturity problem. 
 
 Production method : 
 The olives are of the ' Tanche ' variety and are grown on olive groves plots of land. The olives are harvested from the trees in November and December, then sorted and the smallest ones used for oil production. The olives are soaked to reduce bitterness using traditional methods in canneries in the geographical area. 
 
 Tanche 'is a variety that can be used both for the production of table olives and for pressing olive oil. Traditionally, producers keep the largest diameter olives for consumption as table olives. 
 
 The olives are picked completely ripe. They are then processed without additives or preservatives, other than salt, in one of the following traditional ways: olives in their own juice, olives in brine, dry-salted olives. 
 
 During the harvest period, the olives are also dry-salted. Small holes are pierced in the flesh of the freshly picked olives and the olives are sprinkled with fine salt, which penetrates the olives through the holes. The olives cry, which means that they release water and, with it, the bitterness contained in the fruit cells. In a few days, the olives will be ready for consumption. 
 
 When preserving in their own juice, the fruit is placed in a hermetically sealed container without any additives, except for common salt if desired. The bitterness then disappears to some extent in a slow natural process.