Heat, light, air, and time are the main enemies of extra virgin olive oil. Our signature dark glass bottles are great for blocking out the light. Keep it away from the stove, window, or anywhere with drastic temperature changes, and the only way to combat time and air is to pour, don’t store! Use within your oil 3 months of opening for maximum flavour and nutrition benefits.
Our producers farm using regenerative practices without synthetics or chemical pesticides. Our Greek and Spanish olive oils are certified organic and Soil Association certified.
In short, yes. There is no heat or chemicals used to extract our extra virgin olive oils. And we have third-party lab reports open for each oil to showcase that.
However, this term is really just a marketing buzzword (particularly when used by other non-olive oils). EU law defines extra virgin olive oil as extracted without heat/chemicals from the first pressing.
Yes, EVOO is the healthiest cooking fat due to its antioxidants. Read our blog for more details and explanation about that misleading "smoke point" conversation. There are also two great podcasts from Zoe and Dr Simon Poole on the subject.
All of our EVOOs are considered to be high in polyphenols since they are well over the benchmark of 250mg/kg of total polyphenols that's been set by the EU Regulation (No. 432/2012). The Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil is highest at 642mg/kg.
The harvest date refers to the month the olives were harvested from the groves. There's one harvest each year. In the Mediterranean, this takes place any time from September until January, depending on the region, weather, and varietal. Changes in the climate mean that year on year, the harvest is occurring earlier, with some harvests occurring as early as September. In the southern hemisphere, the harvest will typically take place between April and July.
The best before date for extra virgin olive oil is 18—24 months. You can expect a decrease in polyphenol levels over this time, as well as some softening in the flavour profile. But with the quality of our oils and how we store them, they will still be something to enjoy for that duration if it’s unopened. Once opened, all extra virgin olive oils should be used within 3 months.
EVOO that is 12 months old or older is a great option for cooking with, keeping fresh new harvest EVOO for finishing and drizzling.
Extra virgin olive oil is like a fresh-pressed juice. Soon after harvest it will be at its brightest and most vibrant. The color does start to fade soon after but colour is no indicator of quality. Olive varietals have different colors and will hold this colour for differing lengths of time. Most oils start to mellow in colour even within a couple of weeks.
