What goes better with a great glass of Syrah than fresh bread drizzled with a spicy Tuscan-blend olive oil? That's our favorite snack! So in the fall of 2002, we planted 800 one-year old olive trees imported from Italy with the goal of producing our own olive oil.

Our olive crops have been quite small thus far. We pressed our first oil in December 2005 but our 300 lbs of olives only produced a few gallons of oil. Our 2006 crop was really small due to poor fruit pollination, so we invited friends and family to pick the olives to cure as eating olives. In fact, the weather in May was so bad for pollination all around California that the total olive crop was only 19%(!) of normal. In 2007, however, we hope to have much more olive oil to share!

Olive Varietals

Our olive varietals are the classics from Tuscany: Leccino, Pendolino, and Frantoio — continuing the traditions of our Italian ancestors.

Pendolino The oil from this olive has a very delicate flavor. Also has the advantage of being a great pollinator for other olive trees. Pendolino has weeping foliage, which is where the name originates.

Leccino The body and integrity of our oil comes from this olive. Mildly fruity and delicate, its oil is superbly balanced. Unlike many others, Leccino oil is palatable fresh off the press without any harsh bitterness.

Frantoio This varietal is rich in oil (between 17 and 22%) which is very fruity, balanced, and notably aromatic. Frantoio is probably the main variety in Tuscany.