THEY ARE PRODUCING HIGH QUALITY OLIVE OIL, TOO!

BY KERRIN LAZ

*COOC means the oil has been certified as “extra virgin” by the California Olive Oil Council (see the story on page 6 of this issue). CCOF means the oil has been certified as organic by the California Council of Organic Farmers.

If you’ve driven up and down the Napa Valley lately, it’s likely that you have noticed new vines growing, but you also might have seen an ever-increasing number of new plantings of wispy, sage green trees dotting vineyard properties. These trees, so genteel and attractive, are actually olive trees. The fruit of these trees is being used now, more than ever before, to produce high quality olive oil all up and down the Valley.

Many artisan Napa vintners produce small-batch olive oils from the fruit of their own trees for use in their winery or home kitchens and to share at the table with friends and family, but an increasing number are producing a large enough quantity of oil to give as gifts or to sell through their wineries. With production at times as low as 15 cases of 375ml bottles, seldom are these olive oils seen in local retail shops. Off the beaten path and not to be missed, check out some Napa wineries producing some impressive olive oil.

CLIF FAMILY FARM EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Vibrant, peppery and grassy are just a few words Linzi Gay, General Manager at Clif Family Winery & Farm, uses to describe their Pope Valley olive oil, a blend of Manzanillo, Frantoio, Maurino and Allegra olives. COOC* and CCOF certified. 30 cases produced annually. This olive oil is available at the Clif Family Winery for $22/500ml bottle. www.cliffamilywinery.com

D.R. STEPHENS ESTATE EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Milled at a monastery in Petaluma, the D.R. Stephens Estate Olive Oil was a favorite. With subtle spice on the finish and a smooth, buttery feel throughout. D.R. Stephens averages 50 cases per year from the Mission, Manzanillo and Picholine olives on their estate. Available at the winery for $25/375ml bottle. COOC certified. www.drstephensestate.com

EDGE HILL EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Sourced from vintner Leslie Rudd’s vineyard estates in Oakville, St. Helena and Mt. Veeder, this 50 case production of 500ml bottles is comprised of nine different Spanish and Italian olives, more varieties than any others I tasted. Certified by the COOC, this extra virgin olive oil was one of the favorites that we tasted, more than likely due to the blending of all the different olives. With a smooth, nutty nose leading onto the palate, there was great balance throughout. Available at Edge Hill or Rudd Estate for $35/bottle. www.edgehill.com or www.ruddwines.com

HUDSON VINEYARDS CARNEROS OLIVE OIL

Leave it to Lee Hudson to produce not only some of the finest chardonnay and syrah grapes in the Napa Valley, but also one of the best olive oils. What sets this oil apart is that it really tastes like an olive oil. While there is a buttery, ripe component, there are also subtle grassy and olive notes, which give this oil dimension. This offering comes in 500ml bottles for $35/bottle and is served at Ad Hoc in Yountville, Press in St. Helena and Fatted Calf in Napa. www.hudsonvineyards.com

JOSEPH PHELPS VINEYARD OLIVE OIL

This COOC certified organic olive oil started as a small project for the Phelps family in 2001. After a few stylistic changes, Phelps Winery released their first batch of Italian-style oil in 2003. With a blend of Frantoio, Pendolino, Leccino and Maurino olives, this offering possesses a touch more acidity than the others tasted. Available at the winery for $20/375ml bottle. 163 cases produced. www.jpvwines.com

KRUPP BROTHERS EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Located on Jan Krupp’s Stagecoach Vineyard, this bottling offers a rich, thick palate with a balance of nutty and spicy flavors. 25 cases were produced for the 2007 bottling and retails on their mailing list for $25/375ml bottle. Like a few other vintners, Jan Krupp uses both Spanish and Italian olives for his oil. www.kruppbrothersestates.com

LONG MEADOW RANCH NAPA VALLEY SELECT EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

LONG MEADOW RANCH PRATO LUNGO EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

With over 2,000 olive trees on their property, LMR has been producing olive oil for friends and family since 2000. The olives from their younger trees ranging from 12-15 years old go into their Napa Valley Select bottling, while the older growth trees form the Prato Lungo offering. Both are COOC and CCOF certified. The Prato Lungo Olive Oil sells for $49/500ml bottle and the Napa Valley Select retails for $20/375ml bottle. After tasting both offerings side-by-side, the most distinguishing factor of the Prato Lungo is its body. Creamier and thicker than the Napa Valley Select, the Prato Lungo is the perfect finishing touch to your meals. www.longmeadowranch.com

PEPI FAMILY EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

One of the best finds during my olive oil tasting, this oil from Ingrid and Bob Pepi is made with about 50% Frantoio olives with the remainder being Allegra, Nociara and Maurino varieties. Grown on their property 200 feet above the Silverado Trail, the Pepi Extra Virgin Olive Oil offers a lush, aromatic touch of spice on the nose. Available for $35/750ml bottle at the winery. COOC certified. www.eponymouswines.com

REVANA ESTATE OLIVE OIL

Averaging about 10-20 cases per year, Revana uses a blend of Manzanillo and Frantoio olives from their estate for their extra virgin oil. Revana Estate notes that it looks for a blend of spicy freshness from the Frantoio and rich, nutty notes from the Manzanillo olives. Available for purchase at the winery for $30/375ml bottle. www.revanawine.com

STAGLIN EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

100% organic and sourced from the Staglins’ property in the Rutherford Bench, this 20 case production comes from more than 350 trees on the estate. Comprised of Mission, Redding and Picholine olives, this offering possesses earthy, rich flavors. Available for purchase at the winery. $40/375ml bottle. CCOF certified. www.staglinfamily.com

TRES SABORES ESTATE OLIVE OIL

Vintner Julie Johnson of Tres Sabores recently told me they figured out that five pounds of olives from her CCOFcertified property go into one 375ml bottle of her olive oil! Another warmtoned, buttery olive oil with velvety smoothness, Tres Sabores produces about 20 cases per year, retailing for $20/375ml bottle. Available solely through the winery. www.tressabores.com

Kerrin Laz is a frequent restaurant diner and the wine director of Dean & DeLuca. After three years of working with Dean & DeLuca on the east coast, in 2006 Kerrin finally made the cross-country move to the Napa Valley. Any questions regarding California wine? Contact her at wineblog@deandeluca.com

EDITORS’ NOTE:

We could not fail to add that a good number of Sonoma County vintners are also producing excellent small batch olive oils these days. A few notables are:

JORDAN WINERY

Jordan Winery, on the Alexander Valley Road in Healdsburg, produces extra virgin olive oils which are a blend of the four olive varietals planted on their 1,600 acre estate. While much of that land remains natural oak woodlands, since 1995 twenty-six acres of olive trees have been planted. The 2008 Jordan Extra Virgin Olive Oil, available now, is a blend of 77% Italian Varietals (45% Frantoio, 27% Leccino and 5% Pendolino) and 23% of the Spanish varietal Arbequina. This oil has a lot of fruit in the nose, both green and ripe, and a hint of pungency in taste. This may very well be due to the fact that all their fruit is milled within 24 hours of harvest. The oil may be purchased at the winery or on line at www.jordanwinery.com and retails for $25/375ml bottle. Limit 6 per customer.

PRESTON VINEYARDS

Lou Preston imported young trees from Italy to start his olive orchard. The initial “handful” of trees has now blossomed into 1,000 trees tucked into every corner of the Preston Vineyards property in the Upper Dry Creek Valley of Healdsburg. They describe their COOC certified organic olive oil as Tuscan in style and its flavor a “provocative marriage of spice, grass and fruit, of bite and butter.” Their fruit has been pressed on-site since the 2008 harvest. Preston produces only four hundred gallons a year of their oil, in two bottlings. The oil can only be purchased only at the winery and retails for $32/500ml bottle. Also check out their “Lacto- Fermented” table olives while you are there! www.prestonvineyards.com

QUIVIRA VINEYARDS

Farmed organically and using biodynamic methods, the thirty olive trees at Quivira Vineyards in Sonoma’s Dry Creek produce only around twenty gallons of oil each year. The oil is a blend of picholine and manzanillo olives. Their Wine Creek Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a rich aroma, silky texture and slightly spicy finish. Available only at the winery, the oil retails for $22/375 ml bottle. www.quivirawine.com