People make a big deal about visiting a winery, tasting the fruit of the vines, and enjoying the atmosphere as well as crusty bread and cheese that complement the wines. If you enjoy vineyard tours, you'll love a visit to a central coast California olive farm, where you can experience a variety of fine olive oils produced right on site. As for a wide choice of different tastes, you'll find that, too, in the various Tuscan or Italian style oils.
For those of us not versed in judging extra virgin olive oils, visiting a grower may be the best first step. You can read about 'bold and assertive' and 'peppery' flavors, but these terms don't tell the inexperienced much. A visit to one of the family-owned and operated groves can also be a highlight to a trip to the Golden State.
The majority of central coast grove are family owned and operated, and many award-winning oils are produced there. These small groves are a deliberate mix of cultivars. Authorities agree that a mixed grove produces a better oil in the end, as do hand-raising and harvesting techniques. An extra virgin oil is blended and bottled within one day of harvest. Extreme care is taken to protect oils from heat and light during the process, as well as during storage.
Both ripe and green fruit is used to enhance the flavor, which is said to be so far above 'supermarket plonk' that novices may not recognize it as the same product. These artisan farmers take great pride in the oils they produce and look down on the imported oils many consumers take on faith as both healthy and tasty.
These farmers sell extra virgin oils, often with a certification from an organic organization or from the California Olive Growers Council. These standards are much higher than international ones which govern the oils imported into the United States. The Council subjects each harvest to chemical tests, followed by blind taste tests conducted by their panel of trained judges. Only oils which are judged to be fresh, pure, and superior in flavor are awarded the seal.
Olives were introduced to California by Spanish monks, who planted them at the missions they founded. However, by the late 1800s, only two groves remained of those early plantings. In 1900, a California blend won the gold medal as the best oil at the Paris exposition. Most American trees were imported from Italy, but you can find descendants of the mission olives on farms in the central coast area.
Olives can only grow in dry, sunny, hot climates where winters are mild. For this reason, they are often grown along a southern seacoast. They need limestone soils that are well-drained and not too rich, which makes for sickly trees. When they are happy, they live for hundreds if not thousands of years. Fortunately, the Golden State has the 'terroir', or environment, to allow olives to flourish.
Visiting the central coast farms is just one more thing to do on the fabulous western coast of the United States. Even those of us who can't go there can enjoy the the artisan growers' handcrafted oils. Some farms also produce wine vinegar and wine. Enjoy!
For those of us not versed in judging extra virgin olive oils, visiting a grower may be the best first step. You can read about 'bold and assertive' and 'peppery' flavors, but these terms don't tell the inexperienced much. A visit to one of the family-owned and operated groves can also be a highlight to a trip to the Golden State.
The majority of central coast grove are family owned and operated, and many award-winning oils are produced there. These small groves are a deliberate mix of cultivars. Authorities agree that a mixed grove produces a better oil in the end, as do hand-raising and harvesting techniques. An extra virgin oil is blended and bottled within one day of harvest. Extreme care is taken to protect oils from heat and light during the process, as well as during storage.
Both ripe and green fruit is used to enhance the flavor, which is said to be so far above 'supermarket plonk' that novices may not recognize it as the same product. These artisan farmers take great pride in the oils they produce and look down on the imported oils many consumers take on faith as both healthy and tasty.
These farmers sell extra virgin oils, often with a certification from an organic organization or from the California Olive Growers Council. These standards are much higher than international ones which govern the oils imported into the United States. The Council subjects each harvest to chemical tests, followed by blind taste tests conducted by their panel of trained judges. Only oils which are judged to be fresh, pure, and superior in flavor are awarded the seal.
Olives were introduced to California by Spanish monks, who planted them at the missions they founded. However, by the late 1800s, only two groves remained of those early plantings. In 1900, a California blend won the gold medal as the best oil at the Paris exposition. Most American trees were imported from Italy, but you can find descendants of the mission olives on farms in the central coast area.
Olives can only grow in dry, sunny, hot climates where winters are mild. For this reason, they are often grown along a southern seacoast. They need limestone soils that are well-drained and not too rich, which makes for sickly trees. When they are happy, they live for hundreds if not thousands of years. Fortunately, the Golden State has the 'terroir', or environment, to allow olives to flourish.
Visiting the central coast farms is just one more thing to do on the fabulous western coast of the United States. Even those of us who can't go there can enjoy the the artisan growers' handcrafted oils. Some farms also produce wine vinegar and wine. Enjoy!
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You can visit sanpauloolivefarm.com for more helpful information about Tour A Central Coast California Olive Farm.
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