Answers
Frequently asked questions
The ten questions our concierge answers most often, in plain language.
- What does extra virgin actually guarantee?
- That the oil was extracted from olives by mechanical means alone, has free acidity of no more than 0.8%, and showed no sensory defect when assessed by a trained panel. It is a legal category, not a marketing phrase. Our own threshold is stricter: acidity at or below 0.30% and total phenols above 250 mg/kg.
- How fresh is the oil you sell?
- Every bottle carries a harvest month. We list lots within days of clearing quality control and we never blend across harvest years. Most of the range is between two and eight months from the mill at the time you order.
- Which oil should I start with?
- If you cook daily and want one bottle, start with the Spanish Picual: stable, versatile and excellent value. If you want to understand what fine oil tastes like, start with an early-harvest Koroneiki and pour it raw over something plain.
- Can I cook with extra virgin olive oil?
- Yes. Its smoke point sits above normal sautéing and roasting temperatures, and its antioxidant content makes it more stable under heat than most refined seed oils. The only reason to avoid using an expensive early-harvest oil for frying is cost, not safety.
- How should I store it?
- Sealed, upright, in a dark cupboard at 57–64°F, away from the hob. Light does the most damage, heat second, oxygen third. Finish a 500 ml bottle within about three months of opening.
- Do you deliver to my country?
- We ship to all 50 US states, including Alaska and Hawaii, and to every Canadian province and territory. Canadian orders ship delivered duty paid, with GST/HST, duties and brokerage settled at checkout, so nothing is collected on delivery.
- Is shipping free?
- Yes, on all US and Canadian orders above $100. Below that: USPS Priority Mail $12, UPS Ground $18, FedEx Ground $22.
- Can I return an oil I do not like?
- Unopened bottles can be returned within 30 days with a prepaid US or Canadian return label. If an opened oil is genuinely not what our page described, tell us and we will refund it.
- Do you supply restaurants and companies?
- Yes. We handle trade supply and corporate gifting from the same team, including custom cards, split delivery to multiple US and Canadian addresses and consolidated net-30 invoicing.
- Why is good olive oil expensive?
- Because early picking halves the yield, hand harvesting into shallow crates is slow, milling within four hours requires an on-site mill, and cold extraction below 75°F sacrifices further volume. Every one of those choices costs the producer money and improves the oil.
The harvest letter
Early access to each new harvest, forty-eight hours before release
One letter a month: tasting notes from our own panel, the estates we are visiting, and first refusal on limited single-tank releases.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.