OLIVE OIL QUALITY

A Pure Olive Oil

When purchasing olive oil you will want to obtain a high-quality EXTRA VIRGIN oil.The oil that comes from the first “pressing” of the olive, is cold pressed, and has no “off” flavors is awarded “extra virgin” status. The less the olive oil is handled, the closer to its natural state, the better the oil. If the olive oil meets all the criteria, it can be designated as “extra virgin”.

The human senses are key to understanding the oil that you are consuming.

Visual / Color

Color can vary from light golden yellow to intense green. High-quality olive oil comes from specific geographic areas that yield different olive varieties (cultivar). Color, therefore, depends on olive variety, the harvesting period (the ripening degree) and the transformation techniques.

Aroma

Olive oils assume the aroma of the regions where they are produced. Recognizable aromas are combinations of apples, leaves, and grass.

Taste

Superior extra virgin olive oil has two or all of these characteristics: 

It may be bitter

It is spicy – indicated by pungent tactile sensation typical of green olives pressed at the beginning of the harvest.

It is fruity – classified as light, medium or intense. It depends on how bitter and how spicy the olive oil and on the intensity of the perceived flavors and aromas.

These three characteristics are determined by olive variety (cultivar). Finally, it is the olive oil producer's job to balance these characteristics in order to obtain the superior extra virgin that is served on your table.

Caring for Olive Oil

Resist the temptation to place your beautiful bottle of olive oil on the windowsill. Light, heat and oxygen are the number one enemies of oil. It is best to keep your olive oil in a cool, dark place and tightly sealed.