Look for ‘extra virgin’ on the label to ensure the health giving properties are intact.

Extra virgin Olive oil is oil that has been obtained purely from the pressing of the olive fruit. Nothing added .Extra Virgin Olive Oil, as classified by the European Union, is oil that is very low in ‘free acid’ i.e. acid that is not part of the natural chemical compounds, but exists on its own. 

Measurement of Acidity

The lower the measure of acidity, the better the quality and freshness of the oil. The acidity level of olive oil is not able to be ‘tasted’ until it reaches a level of around 6%. Some extra virgin olive oils have an acidity level around this mark and still fall into the ‘extra virgin category’. Our aim is to produce fresh oil each year with an acidity level of 2-3%, or less, to ensure both taste and health benefits are maintained.

Freshness

Each year’s harvest is sold-out within the harvest year with the new year’s harvest bottled in February after a period of ‘settling’ from October’s olive harvest.

Taste

Of all the olive trees native to our region which make up our oil, the predominant Nocellare/Siracusane olive tree produces a robust fruity oil that is truly the taste of the pungent ripened olive fruit and the wild herbs and grasses, almonds and artichokes of the region. With a peppery aftertaste that lingers on the palate, it is well balanced, and long lasting in flavour throughout the year. This is our favourite!

Colour

Deep golden yellow with a green tinge.

Storage

Light, heat, and air are enemies of olive oil. Store your bottle in the cupboard rather than on the bench and try to use up as quickly as possible once opened.

Bottling

Our oil is bottled in the darkest glass bottles as olive oil stored in clear glass quickly oxidises. The oil is filled to as close as possible to the top of the neck of the glass with a double sealed screw top to prevent injection of air.

Sources of the best extra virgin olive oil

The European Union has developed a system of quality controls known as Denominazione di Origine Prottetta (DOP). This ensures that Olive Oil has passed a series of tests to guarantee the origin and quality of the oil.  Another guarantee of quality is to source the origin of the oil. Olive oil from single estate / estate produced and bottled, are good indicators of quality as care and attention to the whole process is ‘owned’ by the producers.