Every year we sit down and decide how we are going to create the next season’s EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil).
Just like different grapes are selected for wine in order to create different flavor profiles, a variety of olives can be used to create the perfect olive oil blend.
Putting our thinking and creative caps on is actually one of our most enjoyable part of our job! The Making of an Award-Winning Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Just a reminder, here are our 3 EVOO Winners for 2020:
- Early Harvest is made with Mission Olives.
- The Expert Blend – Barouni Olives mixed in with our Mission Olives
- And the Estate Blend – Ascolano Olives milled with our Mission Olives.
Why We Chose the Ascolano Olive this Year
The Ascolano olive is considered a gem and they grow on the Ascolana Tenera olive tree.
In the Mediterranean region, these olives are eaten like fruit due to them being quite large, tender and plump. These delicious olives are beloved in Europe and are hardly available in North America.
But guess what? They grow right here in California in our olive orchard!
What we love about the Ascolano olive is its nuttiness and fizzy quality which occurs mid pallet. It’s complex with a fruity taste.
It has a floral note with is slightly buttery herbaceous. Once milled, it can be a medium intensity oil when made from unripe olives meaning it finishes with a pleasant afternote.
Introducing the Next Superfood -- “The Ascolano Extra Virgin Olive Oil”
As we have mentioned in the past, all Superfoods have one thing in common.
They all have a very high count of polyphenol -- the higher the polyphenol count, the healthier it is!
Polyphenols have been linked to all sorts great medical benefits, mainly against inflammation and cardiovascular decline.
This year the Ascolano came out at 479 mg/kg which makes it a very high polyphenol olive oil.
And yes, we got the lab test for this as well. Check it out here.
The Ascolano EVOO
Luckily, we were able to produce enough olives to make this delicious Ascolano oil into a single varietal.
It was our intention to bring out the bolder flavors of this olive, highlighting the more complex herbaceous, pungent and bitter flavors yet with a flowery undertone which in our opinion gives this amazing olive oil so more character.
For those who love to discover brand new olive oils, we are now offering the Ascolano as a single varietal at our farmers markets as well as online.
We hope you take a step deeper into the wonderful universe of extra virgin olive oils and try the Ascolano either as part of the blend in the Estate Blend or as a single varietal, it’s an unforgettable experience!
In summary:
We used the rare Ascolano Olive which carries a very high polyphenol count and blended into our Estate Blend EVOO to create the award-winning oil we have today!
However, we were lucky enough to garner a large batch of these gems and created a single varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
How to use:
This olive oil is ideal when grilling fish, chicken or vegetables. Try it for dipping bread with Parmesan cheese and your favorite Italian seasoning.
Perfect for drizzling over your pasta dishes or substitute it for cooking instead of butter.
Try Ascolano Early Harvest instead of butter when you're making garlic bread or mashing potatoes.
Paired with our Red Apple or Blueberry Balsamic, you'll have a terrific vinaigrette or table dip for fresh bread.
