We supply Extra Virgin Olive Oils to specialty markets and better restaurants around the country along with local grocers in the Western US. There’s one thing for sure, if you are reading this… You’re very lucky to have a grocer that really cares about what you eat and is not afraid go out of their normal distribution channels to bring you some of the best Artisan Foods on the Planet.
Fact you may see few if any any of the Olive Oils we talk about on these pages. However you are likely to see more of them soon and the oils you see in the specialty markets and grocery stores that led you here are already steps above what consumers normally see when they shop.
Estate Bottled Olive Oils are a lot like fine wine. It is an adventure tasting through them as the varieties of olives, terroir, climate and production facilities dramatically affect the experience. Of course we have our favorites and go too oils for all-round uses but buying and working with a variety of oils from better producers is the bomb. If you see something on these pages that catches your don’t be afraid to ask your favorite retailer about them.
Olive Oil is the perfect food. The mono-unsaturated fats transport nutrients from the other good foods we eat better than anything else we consume. Polyphenols in vegetables are water soluble so if you steam them you’re just running the nutrients down the drain. Consequently it is better to sauté in EVOO.
In addition Oleocanthal (1/3 of the polyphenols found in Olive Oil) is natures best anti-inflammatory. It is the single most important food we consume to enhance out health!
Jana, Eleni and I have been introducing clients and friends to better Estate Bottled Olive Oils for nearly 20 years now. It has been an interesting journey since the article “Slippery Business” appeared in the New Yorker back in 2007. Today consumers are eating and drinking better at home than ever before. More than ever they pay attention to their health and sales of better Olive Oils are on the rise.
The producers that you find on this page are extraordinary! Generally they are smaller Estate Producers although 3 of the Spanish producers Nuñez de Prado, OMED and Oleoestepa are large family concerns that maintain impeccable standards totally in tune with the best growing and production practices.
There are great entry level Olive Oils (Nuñez de Prado or the OMED Arbequina & Picual that are crowd pleasers for those that haven’t embraced the bigger spicier flavors some oils offer.
We also offer a wide range of bold spicy finishing oils for drizzling on meats and seafoods or for using to brighten sauces and other foods. Remember real Olive Oils are flavor enhancers. Their bitter aspects are seasonings that make foods taste better just like bitters do in cocktails. Try some on Ice Cream with a touch of Sea Salt sometime… You’ll be surprised!
Bear in mind there are still many bottles on the shelves of grocers that the experts describe as “lampante or lamp oil”. These should never be consumed as they are highly processed regardless of what it says on the package. Use this page as a guide for healthy Olive Oils from importers who actually give a damn!
The reviewer we pay closest attention to is the “Flos Olei Guide”. They review the top 500 producers each year immediately after the harvest for both farming and milling practices as well as quality. These are the EVOOs you have been dreaming of!
These are oils from family owned estates made in a state of the art production facility. The 250 ml. Tin from OMED is a great way to see what better Olive Oils are all about without breaking the bank. These are bigger but not over the top in terms of fruit and spicy flavors. As a rule and Picual is the bolder and spicier fruit and the Arbequina is a bit milder.
Bonamini... Veneto, Italy
Frantoio Bonamini is fro the The hills of Verona in Northern Italy. The oil they produce is made of Favarol and Grignano olive and has a delicate mouth feel. This is a really beautiful EVOO that is rarely seen out of Italy. Best DOP/IGP Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Light Fruit – Flos Olei Guide 2014
Click The Image Or Title To Learn More About Frantoio Bonamini Extra Virgin Olive Oil From Veneto,Italy
De Carlo... Puglia, Italy
The De Carlo family’ heritage related to the the production of olive oil dates as far back as the 16th century. The new generation, all share the same passion for producing top quality EVOO’s largely from the family’s own orchards. Year after year they win acclaim as one of the worlds top producers.
Click The Image Or Title To Learn More De Carlo Extra Virgin Olive Oil From Puglia, Italy
La Cultivada... Andalusia, Spain
La Cultivada translates to food from the land. Their EVOOs have remarkable aromas and flavour. Its excellent quality stems from the teroir of the land at the Molino de Santa Ana Estate, the characteristics of the Hojiblanca variety and the local Cordoban climate, along with strict controls.
Click The Image Or Title To Learn More About La Cultivada Extra Virgin Olive Oil From Cordoba, Spain
Romano... Campania, Italy
Alberto Romano belongs to the fourth generation in his family of olive oil producers. For more than a century passion tradition and knowledge have been handed down from father to son. The pride of the Frantoio Romano is the variety ORTICE.
Click The Image Or Title To Learn More About Frantoio Romano Extra Virgin Olive Oil From Campania, Italy
Oleoestepa... Andalusia, Spain
Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Spain by Oleoestepa unites the efforts of more than 5,000 olive growers and the 17 associated oil mills located in the Estepa DOP of Seville and Cordoba. The oil produced is the result of an experience handed down from father to son for more than 2,000 years.
Click The Image Or Title To Learn More About Oleoestepa Extra Virgin Olive Oil From Andalusia, Spain
EVOO 2016 Paniole Organic
Paniole Organic EVOO is one of the original olive oils from Italy that we first imported 12 year ago. This extra Virgin olive oil is medium bodied with balanced spice and bitterness. A great all around EVOO from a sensational wine maker… put it on your bucket list! 50% Olivastra Seggianese, 30% Moraiolo, Polyphenol: 356 mg/kg, 750 ml. bottle.
Click The Image Or Title To Learn More About Paniole From Tuscany, Italy
Oro Bailen... Andalusia, Spain
EVOO from Spain by OroBailen is produced at the gateway to Andalusia, in the town of Villanueva de la Reina. Olives have been a staple here for centuries but the Gálvez-González family is new to the business. However they have great business skills and brought with them a fresh perspective.
Click The Image Or Title To Learn More About OroBailen Extra Virgin Olive Oil From Andalusia, Spain
Frantoio Franci... Tuscany, Italy
Extra Virgin Olive Oils from Frantoio Franci is one of the most awarded EVOO in the world. After purchasing the famous Villa Magra Estate, Giorgio realized that the family should concentrate or producing Super Premium Olive. The rest is history…
Click The Image Or Title To Learn More About Frantoio Franci Extra Virgin Olive Oil From Tuscany, Italy
Frantoio Prunetti
Gionni and Paolo Pruneti who are still just in their thirties but passionate from an early age about extra virgin olive oil. They are living as guardians of a family tradition handed down over four generations.
Click The Image Or Title To Learn More About Frantoio Franci Extra Virgin Olive Oil From Italy
Di Riva... Alto Adige, Italy
The olive oils from the northern most producers of EVOO in Italy tend to be delicate to light bodied oils. They’re flavorful but have a leaner mouth feel. These oils are actually rare and hard to come by. Frantoio di Riva is one of the best.
Click The Image Or Title To Learn More About Frantoio di Riva Extra Virgin Olive Oil From Alto Adige, Italy
OlioCRU... Trentino Alto Adige
Extra Virgin Olive Oil has been produced in the Alto Garda in the north of Italy on top of Lake Garda in a valley protected by mountains dating back to the Roman Empire. Crusher and Leccino are the primary varieties and Garda oil has a pleasant fruity scent of fresh olives and a delicate mouth feel.
Click The Image Or Title To Learn More About OlioCRU Extra Virgin Olive Oil From Alto Adige, Italy
VIOLA... Umbria, italy
The Extra Virgin Olive Oils from MARCO VIOLA are truly extraordinary. Highly acclaimed for their farming techniques as well as the quality of their EVOO they are also recognized as innovators in the production process.
Click The Image Or Title To Learn More About Viola Extra Virgin Olive Oil From Umbria, Italy
EVOO What You Neet To Know
When it comes to extra virgin olive oil there is a new scam every day. Most consumers are not very good shoppers! They simply take what is offered to them Food fraud is the norm not the exception so lets see if we can help you make some better choices when it comes to EVOO.
Click Here To Read Our Little Rant On Everything You Need To Know About Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A high percentage of our producers submit their EVOOs for review in the guide and score in the high 90s which is exceptional. Here are a few of the highlights from the 2016 Flos Olei Guide.
The Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Extraction System: Frantoio Franci, Italy
The Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Light Fruity: Frantoio Bonamini, Italy
The Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Medium Fruity: Azienda Agricola Pruneti, Italy
The Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Intense Fruity: Azienda Agraria Viola, Italy
One of our Favorite Olive Oils
Fruity and Lush in the mouth the spice and bitterness come and go quickly leaving a almond and apple finish. This is a fantastic all around oil and the tin is actually a better vessel for storage than than even amber glass bottles. This is USDA certified organic and one of the best sellers in our book!
