Olive Oil

For centuries, olive oil has been more than mere food to the peoples of the Mediterranean. It has been medicine, preserver of youth and beauty, symbol of wealth and power, and an endless source of fascination. Perhaps for this reason, Homer referred to olive oil as “liquid gold.” Olives were first cultivated in the Eastern part of the Mediterranean, in the region known as the "fertile crescent," and moved westwards over the millennia. Olive culture reached Italy via the Greeks in the eighth century B.C. By Roman times, olive trees were widely planted throughout the entire Mediterranean basin. Indeed, by the first century AC, the historian Pliny wrote that Italy was known for its "excellent olive oil at reasonable prices, the best in the Mediterranean.”  Today, Italy is the world’s second largest producer of olive oil, behind only Spain. Olive oil is produced in every province of Italy.

Types of Oils
All of the olive oils sold by Winebow are Extra-virgin, the highest quality. Extra-virgin olive oil comes from
the first pressing of the olives, contains no more than 1.0% oleic acid, and is judged to have a superior
taste. Beyond this technical classification, many experts speak of 3 categories of olive oil, based on
broad taste profiles:

Mild Style: Characterized by a light, buttery, sweet taste.
Suggested Foods: Delicate dishes, baked goods, sauces without garlic, raw meats and carpaccio,
broiled and grilled fish, raw and boiled vegetables, soups, pasta sauces. Also good with cheeses.

Fruity Style: Slightly stronger and fruitier. A little bit of leaf to it. Notes of artichoke, and green
tomato. Oils made from Leccino and Pendolino olives tend to fall in this category.
Suggested Foods: Salads, cooked vegetables, bruschetta, pasta sauces with garlic, risotto, grilled
meats, herbs, spices, mild cheeses.

Fruity-Spicy Style: More aggressive, spicy. Herbaceous, peppery oil. Typically more green in color.
Suggested Foods: Rustic, traditional dishes like panzanella, (Tuscan bread and tomato
salad) ribollita (Tuscan vegetable soup), and pasta e fagioli. Also, grilled meats and roasts, aged cheeses
and dishes with generous amounts of garlic and spices.