When 43eleven Italian Foods was in business, we sold more olive oil than any single other product (yes, including Pecorino Toscano). There was a reason, of course, we had many customers who were foodies and could tell a good olive oil when they tasted it. And because we took the time to tell our customers about our olive oils and why we selected them. And because they were just damn good!
But where to go now? The olive oils we sold are not currently available in the U.S., but there are some excellent alternatives out there. With that in mind, I did some research and ordered these four below - all via mail/web. There are some great olive oils in Los Angeles specialty stores, but I have not yet tried many of them. I'll keep you posted on that.
If you love fresh olive oil, you should now be buying only the 2006 harvest (olives are picked and crushed in late fall/early winter and the oils are at their peak for about one year after that).Theses oils were tasted by Courtney and me with 3 other olive oils for control purposes. All were tasted alone and then with some warm cannellini beans. The first two are from Tuscany and the second two are from Sicily - different styles for different tastes.
Selvapiana, Podre San Giuseppe, Rufina, Toscano
This estate labels the exact date of harvest - talk about obsessive ;) This one was harvested on 10-25-06, bottled unfiltered, and is the boldest of the bunch. Deep green color, wild aroma of cut grass and artichoke, and big complex flavors of fresh green olives which leads to a long, long finish with a generous amount of pepper at the end. Wow! Not for the faint at heart, but excellent if you like classic Tuscan olive oil. $22.95/500ml at Rare Wine Company. A bit expensive, but this is one that will be noticed and can stand up in hearty Tuscan soups or finish off a Bistecca alla Fiorentino!
Vetrice, Rufina, Toscano
Vetrice is a single-site olive oil from a specified site on the Grati estate in the hills east of Firenze. This one is also unfiltered and has a dark green color, a leafy green/cut grass aroma, and flavors of green olive with a moderately peppery finish. Similar characteristics of the Podre San Giuseppe, but a bit more balanced. Will turn an ordinary Caprese salad into a mouthwatering delight. $19.95/500ml at Rare Wine Company.
(A note about Rare Wine Company - importers and retailers of hard-to-find fine wine, they started importing small-estate Tuscan olive oil a while ago and now have a cult following every April waiting for the new harvest olive oils. They sell out quick, so you have to be flexible, but most of their stuff is very high quality. Ask for Barry Herbst.)
Fontanasalsa 'Falconero', Valli Trapensesi DOP, Sicilia
Falconero is a Sicilian extra virgin olive oil from Trapani, on the western coast of Sicily. It has more of a golden/avocado-green color, a soft citrusy aroma, milder and rounder than the Tuscan oils, and finishes with a subtle pepperyness. Falconero is a mellow but complex oil that will work with seafood dishes, salads, and delicate meats. $23.00-$27.00/750ml makes this good quality/price buy at either: 1-800Gourmet or CapriFlavors online.
Fontanasalsa, Trapani, Cultivar Cerasuola, Sicilia
From the same producer of the Falconero, this oil is produced from a single kind of olive - Cerasuola. It has a golden-light green color, a mild aroma of citrus/asparagus, and a mild soft flavor of dark green/black olives with an herbal and slightly peppery finish. Ideal for tuna and salmon, or salads. $39.85 at CapriFlavors online.
Others tasted for fun and control:
43eleven Toscano IGP (2004 harvest) - Still a vibrant oil for 2004 , but has lost some of its fruit. (not available)
43eleven Il Palagio Chianti Classico Moraiole DOP (2005 harvest) - still shines as a leafy-green single estate olive oil. (not available)
Kirkland Toscano IGP (2006 harvest) - a bargain and it is pretty good, but somewhat one-dimensional flavor profile, good for frying and sautéing.
Update July 10, 2007:
Just a note about the harvest dates on Olive Oils. Most olives are picked and crushed in October or November of each year depending on ripeness and style, thus the latest harvest is now 2006. I noticed that some producers or bottlers (like O&Co.) are advertising their olive oils as "2007 Harvest". Well they are released in 2007, but clearly labled on the back of the bottle as harvested and grown in 2006, so we think that is a bit misleading. I favor the traditional labeling as it is most accurate and similar to "vintage" dates on wines, but the important thing is to look for the latest harvest when buying premium extra virgin olive oils.
