frequently asked questions

Our olive grove has 2 dobermans that run through and protect grove with us as we tend to the trees throughout the year. The dog is a nod to our with them, but also to the idea that we protect what we put in our bottles. We take great care of our products to make a great product and we think everyone should know they are getting something that was protected all the way to the bottle.

Extra virgin simply means that the olive oil is free of sensory defects and has nothing added to it. Sensory defects are things that come through in the taste from poor fruit, poor milling practices, or time. All oils will eventually turn rancid (a sensory defect) by sitting on the shelf for too long. Things like a flavored olive oil can be amazing and made with extra virgin olive oil, but can not be called extra virgin once that flavor is in the oil. Lemon olive oil can be made with amazing lemons and extra virgin olive oil, but the finished product can’t be called extra virgin.

14-18 months from time of mill is the typical shelf life. To protect the olive oil, it should be stored in dark bottles and away from heat as light and heat both shorten the shelf life of an olive oil.

A producer should tell you the harvest date and mill date of the olive oil, which should be no more than 24 hours apart. You can then calculate the shelf life of the olive oil based on that date.

Each hemisphere only gets 1 harvest a year. We typically harvest in November, while the southern hemisphere typically harvests in April/May. Because of the relationships we have built over the years with other farmers like us, we now have the ability to source great olive oil from the southern hemisphere as well which allows us to always have an olive oil within 6 months of mill.

Every great olive oil should be smelled first. It should smell fresh like cut grass, tomato leaf, or a greens aroma which are all common aromatic scents in a great olive oil. Once tasted, every olive oil should have tasting elements that are fruity, peppery, and even a little bitter. Tasting notes can be grassy, artichoke, tomato leaf, green banana, floral, or stone fruits.