Everything You Need to Know About Secolari Olive Oils
Taste the Difference!
Produced from olives cultivated by family-owned farms and estates located throughout California.
Secolari Single Varietal Olive Oils
Each of our single varietal “Extra Virgin” olive oils originate from a single olive cultivar grown by family owned farms and estates located throughout California. Each olive oil is “first cold pressed.” This means that no chemicals or heat is used to extract the olive oil, and only the oil derived from the first mechanical pressing is used. This process helps preserve the antioxidants and healthy fats often attributed to fresh Extra Virgin olive oil. Each of our single varietals can be categorized as delicate, mild or robust.
Each olive oil is certified “Extra Virgin” by the California Olive Oil Council (COOC).* The COOC standards for the sought after Extra Virgin grade are stricter than those of the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC), which regulates only some of the imported oils. In addition to strict chemical standards, each California olive oil must also pass the standards of an independent taste panel before it can be eligible to use the COOC certification seal.
*In keeping with full disclosure, Barth X. deRosa, a co-owner of SECOLARI, is also a member of the Board of Directors for the California Olive Oil Council
**By most Rabbinical Standards, Extra Virgin Olive Oils are considered Kosher by default.
Flavored Olive Oils
Secolari flavored olive oils are the best around. They originate from estate producers and family farms located in California. What makes them so unique is the way they are flavored. With a few exceptions,* each SECOLARI flavored olive oil is made using the Agrumato method.
With this method of pressing, the freshly picked organic herb, fruit or pepper is added at the same time the olives are first cold pressed. Secolari has found these flavored olive oils to be far superior in taste, freshness and overall quality. This, of course, is in contrast to those flavored olive oils that are “infused” with flavor after pressing or which are flavored using natural flavoring extract or artificial flavors.
As established by the standards of the California Olive Oil Council, no flavored olive oil can be certified “Extra Virgin” by the COOC. However it is safe to say that if no fruit or herb were added, the blended base for each of these flavored olive oils likely would qualify as Extra Virgin by most standards.
*Our Tandoori, Serrano and Mantequilla flavored oils are naturally infused after pressing.
Organic Olive Oils
Secolari offers five (5) certified Extra Virgin olive oils that also are certified “Organic” by either the CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmer Association), or by the USDA (United States of Department of Agriculture).
These “Organic” certified olive oils are produced according to federal standards set by the USDA’s National Organic Program. These standards address many factors: soil quality, pest and weed control, use of input materials, as well as standards for processing and farming.
*By most Rabbinical Standards, Extra Virgin Olive Oils are considered Kosher by default.