Domestic harvests

California Extra Virgin Olive Oil

California extra virgin olive oil has one structural advantage for American buyers: it does not cross an ocean. Fruit harvested in the Central Valley in October is often milled the same day and on shelves within weeks, so the oil reaches you closer to its peak than most imports. The dominant cultivars are Arbequina and Arbosana in high-density groves, plus Mission, a heritage variety planted at the Spanish missions. California's voluntary state grade standards for extra virgin are stricter than the international baseline.