Summer / Fall 2008

Olive Oil in the Wine Country

Olive cultivation has a long history in Northern California. Some say that the first olive trees traveled the El Camino Real with Father Junipero Serra, and that these trees are the great-grandfathers of the California Mission olive, grown extensively in the hotter reaches of the Central Valley and the Sierra Foothills. However, the olive oil industry in the Wine Country hails from more recent roots. Many of the trees planted here are only beginning to reach their peak bearing years, and are between ten and fifteen years old, as opposed to the heritage Mission trees, ranging in age from fifty to over one-hundred years old.

The majority of olives harvested for oil in the Wine Country are the classic Tuscan varietals; Frantoio, Pendolino, Lecchino, Maurino and Coratina. There are sprinklings of Greek and Spanish varietals planted in the region, but the Italian trees are more acclimated to the cooler nights and often foggy mornings that are characteristic of the coastal valleys of Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties.

In the last ten years, numerous "frantoios" or olive mills have sprung up near the olive groves, providing a place for even the smallest grower to process their oils. These facilities also provide a wonderful tasting opportunity, along with many specialty retail locations and tasting rooms, for visitors to sample the beautiful oils. Many of the retailers feature olive oil tasting "bars" where the customer can taste each of the oils and purchase them in bulk, filling their own containers, as is the custom in much of the Mediterranean and Europe.

The olive oil industry in the California Wine Country, like the oils it produces, is a savory blend of the old and the new, combining the entrepreneurial spirit of the region's artisan producers with the classic traditions of the old world.

See this page for a few favorite recipes from Stella Cadente or visit www.stellacadente.com, call 800.305.1288, or email stellacadente@pacific.net