How We Make Our Oil

Harvesting We harvest the olives when the color turns from green to straw, red and deep purple, depending on the flavor we want from each of the varietals that comprise our blend. The olives are harvested by hand to minimize the bruising of the fruit. Read about our 2007 harvest.

Pressing At the mill, the olives are crushed using a double store mill (which is more gentle than other methods) and the oil is extracted during a three phase decanting, centrifuge and separation process.

The oil is stored in stainless steel belfustos until it is ready for bottling. The oil is unfiltered. Over time the solids settle to the bottom of the belfustos.

Bottling
Luis mans the bottling machine, filling the bottles which we cork and label as they come off the bottling line.

We bottle the oil as we need it since it stores better in bulk than in individual bottles.

Corking and labeling the bottles

Off to market!

Certification

Our oil is labeled extra virgin. It's tested by a certified lab to ascertain that the oil has an oleic acid level below .5% and a peroxide value of 20 meg 02/kg or less. An ultraviolet absorbency analysis is also required which reveals if an oil has been refined or adulterated. A taste panel of trained members of the California Olive Oil Council judges it to be free from defects and of good flavor. This seal certifies that the olive oil is extra virgin.

Storing Olive Oil

Olive oil is best stored in a cool, dark place. The two biggest enemies of olive oil are heat and light. We use dark green bottles to minimize the oils exposure to light.

For information on where to purchase Olio delle Colline di Santa Cruz, click here.