Olive Oil Olivo extra virgin olive oil The Olivo team is passionate about extra virgin olive oil and are uncompromising in their pursuit of excellence for the oil. Producing great olive oil depends on a variety of factors: Good olives The olive starts to deteriorate the moment it is picked. It is essential that the fruit is picked carefully, stored for a very short time before pressing, transported carefully in suitable containers and once pressed, stored in stainless steel or bottles in a cool dark place. We hand- pick our fruit and generally press on the same day to ensure quality. Fruit maturity Olivo olives are picked when they are one third green, one third mixed and one third black. This gives complexity to the oil – the green olives giving the ‘pungency’ and the black olives producing the quantity. The style of Olivo oil is medium, fruity and herbaceous; sometimes intense and sometimes more delicate depending on the year. Olive variety 60% of Olivo’s olives are the Barnea which gives a mellow rich, banana flavour to the oil while the Frantoio and Leccino provide peppery notes. Growing region The Wairarapa produces some of New Zealand’s best olive oils and wines. The two often go hand in hand. The unique terroir gives the oil its depth. Seasonal variations Olive oils taste different from year to year and Olivo’s oil is no exception. Stress on the trees from the weather produces a more intense oil but a long hot summer can result in a milder flavour. Pressing method An oil can be ruined by poor pressing. Olivo uses the large co-operative Olive Press in Masterton to produce its extra virgin oil. All Olivo oil is extra virgin – first pressed, cold pressed, a free fatty acid level of less than 0.8% and a peroxide value of less than 16. These criteria are set by the International Olive Oil Council in Madrid and exceeded by the Olives New Zealand quality mark that Olivo obtains.