Oils

The Best Olive Oil from Oil & Vinegar

Looking for the highest quality olive oil? At Oil & Vinegar, we only bring the best extra virgin olive oils from around the world to our stores. This ensures you get the highest quality — and you can taste it! With our authentic olive oils, you elevate every dish to a whole new level.

What is Olive Oil?

Olive oil is the freshly pressed juice from the olive fruit. It is not pressed from the pit inside the olive, but from the juicy flesh surrounding the pit. Olive oil can be classified into different quality categories:

Lampante
Regular Olive Oil
Virgin
Extra Virgin

So, olive oil can be produced in different grades. Lampante, the lowest quality, is chemically processed to create a higher-quality oil. This processed oil is called refined oil. Refined oil is stripped of its flavor and aroma, losing the natural healthy properties found in the olive. The next category, virgin olive oil, is slightly better, but the process from olive to oil isn't done in the most optimal way, which means the final product cannot be better than virgin oil.

The best quality olive oil is extra virgin olive oil. This is the freshest and most natural form of olive oil, retaining the best flavor and healthy properties of the olive. Extra virgin olive oil is unrefined and untreated, offering rich flavor and numerous health benefits. Now you understand why it is proudly called "liquid gold!"

At Oil & Vinegar, we only select the highest-quality extra virgin olive oil. This unrefined oil meets the strictest standards. It is the freshest, healthiest, and most flavorful oil of all.

How is Olive Oil Made?

Making olive oil begins with the olive tree. This tree thrives in a Mediterranean climate and can live for hundreds of years. Weather, hours of sunlight, and soil conditions all influence the growth and, ultimately, the flavor of the olives.

There are more than 1,550 different types of olives. Each country and region has its own varieties. Olive trees grow primarily in Mediterranean countries, but also in places like South Africa, Chile, California, Australia, and even Japan. The final flavor depends on the terroir (soil) and the type of olive. The tree blooms from April to June with white flowers, and in June, these flowers turn into olives. As the olives ripen, acids and juices transform into oil. The longer the olives ripen, the more oil they contain.

There is only one harvest per year, which makes olive oil a rare and precious product. It’s an exciting time for the farmers who have worked hard all year to care for their trees. The harvest generally takes place between October and February.

Oil & Vinegar selects only those farmers who manage the entire process — from the orchard to pressing and packaging. This ensures the time between picking and pressing is as short as possible, preventing oxygen from reaching the olives.

Harvested olives are pressed within 24 hours to avoid oxidation and fermentation. Most of our farmers ensure that the time between harvest and pressing is no more than 10 hours, ensuring high-quality oil. Most of our olive oils are naturally decanted after pressing, not filtered, which guarantees a shelf life of over 24 months.

How to Store Olive Oil

The shelf life of olive oil is 24 months from harvest. It’s best to store olive oil in a cool, dark place. That’s why our extra virgin olive oils come in dark green bottles. It’s best to consume the oil soon after purchase to preserve its rich flavor.

How to Use It

Unlike regular olive oils, extra virgin olive oil is perfect for cold dishes. Use it over salads, in pasta, in sauces, soups, or as a dip. This transforms your dish into a true flavor enhancer.

Most olive oils retain their flavor and aroma best when used cold. However, some extra virgin olive oils can also be used for cooking. For example, our Baking & Frying Olive Oil is great for sautéing, stir-frying, grilling, and frying.

This extra virgin olive oil is still full of healthy properties and has a mild taste, not because it’s refined, but because of the specific choice of mild olive varieties! This unrefined oil is rich in antioxidants.

Is Olive Oil Healthy?

Olive oil is part of the "food pyramid" and is a plant-based fat. It’s also rich in monounsaturated fats, also known as "good fats," which help lower cholesterol. This is beneficial for heart and vascular health.

Olive oil is also known for its high levels of natural antioxidants, including polyphenols, which fight free radicals — harmful substances that can damage cells and tissues.

Antioxidants help prevent this damage, potentially reducing the risk of diseases like cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Olive oil contains no allergens or artificial additives. It’s pure and natural!

Fair Olive Oil

At Oil & Vinegar, we don’t just mention the country of origin of our olive oils, but we also specify the region.

Take our Nocellara Olive Oil as an example. This olive oil doesn’t come from the EU or 100% Italy; it comes from the the Estate in the Sciacca region.

That’s why we only purchase this certified PGI olive oil with the associated PGI certificate. This short supply chain is great for traceability, flavor, and the health benefits of our extra virgin olive oils. A fair product!

Oil & Vinegar is the expert in the finest olive oil, so you always get olive oil of the highest quality.

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