CALIFORNIA’S OTHER GOLDEN ELIXIR

BY FRAN GAGE

A visit to a winery is a perfectly pleasant way to while away an afternoon, but for a new and different adventure, trade swirling and sipping the fruit of the vine for sampling the other golden elixir made in Northern California: extra virgin olive oil. Here are four olive oil producers you can visit to learn how olive oil is made and taste the divine results.

MCEVOY RANCH, 5935 Red Hill Road, Petaluma. 707.778.2307 or www.mcevoyranch.com

Nestled in the rolling hills of west Marin is a great place to start your olive oil road trip. Driving along the gorgeous terrain on the border of Marin and Sonoma counties, you will crest a hill where you face acres upon acres of olive trees marching to the horizon. This is McEvoy Ranch. In 1990 Nan McEvoy bought the 550-acre parcel that was once a dairy ranch and turned it into an organic olive orchard. The ranch offers tours at certain times of the year during which you can explore the property by walking among the trees and learn how olives are grown and harvested. Your guide will also show you the mill, including the huge granite stones that are used to crush the olives into a paste (there is also a disc mill) and the Sinolea processor, a unique piece of equipment that extracts very high quality oil from the paste without any pressure. Plan your visit in the fall to see the mill in action. After the tour you have an opportunity to taste the two exceptional oils that McEvoy produces. The Traditional Blend is made from Italian varietals that are grassy with hints of artichoke, herbs, and spice. Like most robust oils, it is lively with bitterness and pungency. The Limited Edition is made from a different mix of olives each year, including some varietals which may not be included in the Traditional Blend, and may be milled using experimental methods. If you visit during harvest, a special treat awaits: olio nuovo - newly pressed oil that is still turbid and very fresh. You can sign up for the $30 orchard tour by visiting the ranch’s website. You can also sign up for a garden tour, which includes olive oil tasting and a seasonal lunch served overlooking the olive trees. The next olive tours are September 12 and October 3, 2009. The next lunch and garden tour is September 10, 2009.

THE OLIVE PRESS, 24724 Arnold Drive, Sonoma (shared with Jacuzzi winery). 800.965.4839 or www.theolivepress.com

The Olive Press was created in 1995 as a unique facility dedicated to pressing olives for producers, growers and backyard hobbyists. Deborah Rogers, co-owner with Ed Stolman, is a master miller who used her knowledge to create several oils for the Olive Press label. Many of the oils are single varietals, including some from old California varieties. On a recent visit there were eleven oils available for tasting. The knowledgeable staff will help you select oils from each style, ranging from delicate and buttery to robust and cough producing. If the mill is quiet, you can watch a video about the pressing process. This tour is extremely informative and offers visitors a way to taste a large variety of oils. No appointment is necessary and the self-guided tasting is complimentary.

From here, wind your way through the Carneros wine region of Sonoma to Napa Valley, where you will find two additional producers who offer olive oil tours.

LONG MEADOW RANCH, 1796 Hwy 29, Rutherford. 877.627.2645 or www.longmeadowranch.com

For a tour of Long Meadow Ranch you’ll meet at their Rutherford Gardens facility on the valley floor and board the ranch’s all-terrain vehicle. You will be grateful that you didn’t have to navigate the one-lane twisting road to the rammed-earth building which houses the winery and frantoio for yourself! Your tour begins at their olive orchard, Napa Valley’s oldest, continues with the Italian equipment that presses the oil, and ends at the tasting bar. Long Meadow makes two extra virgin oils, Prato Lungo, from the original orchard, and Napa Valley Select, from Tuscan varietals with some Mission and Manzanillo in the blend. The Prato Lungo olives make a delicate oil, buttery with floral notes; a contrast to the Napa Valley Select with its more assertive profile. Visit their website to sign up for a Wine and Olive Oil Excursion ($35 per person). Saturdays only.

Round Pond, 886 Rutherford Road, Rutherford. 877.963.9364 or www.roundpond.com

Round Pond is located just down the road from Long Meadow Ranch in Rutherford. The orchards are intermingled with grapevines throughout the property with several trees adjacent to the building that houses the mill. After an explanation of the milling process, you are in for a wonderful taste experience. A table will be set with tasting cups and platters of food and you will be led through a tasting of four oils—an Italian Blend, a Spanish Blend, Meyer Lemon Olive Oil, and Blood Orange Olive Oil. Because olive oil is typically enjoyed with or in food, it is especially informative to experience different food combinations with the various oils. Food pairings may include fresh seasonal vegetables and fruits, or an array of cheeses, depending on the time of year you visit. This is an opportunity to see which style of oil you prefer with different food flavors and textures. You might be surprised at your choices. Visit their website to enroll in the Olive Mill Tour and Tasting ($20 per person). Each of these producers offers something unique—at McEvoy, a special milling system, at The Olive Press, an abundance of oils to taste, at Long Meadow, an oil from “mystery olives,” and at Round Pond, oil and food pairings. Your taste buds will be rewarded at every visit.

Fran Gage’s latest book is The New American Olive Oil, Profiles of Artisan Producers and 75 Recipes. She is a member of the California Olive Oil Council’s taste panel and a judge at the Los Angeles International Extra virgin Olive Oil Competition and the Yolo County Fair. www.frangage.com