How to Buy Olive Oil

There are hundreds of extra-virgin olive oils on the market from different Italian regions, and most of them are quite good. But how do we choose one bottle over another? How many of us are buying a product because of its price or packaging rather than its content? Labels can say anything at all, and are often misleading embellishments or outright false statements.

Basics
As consumers, we have to make a basic choice: Do we want to moisten food, or do we want to dress it? If we merely want to moisten it, any oil will do, regardless of flavor or aroma. If, on the other hand, we want to dress food and highlight its characteristics, only good oil will do.

Unlike wine, olive oil does not improve with aging. It should be consumed within its first year before it loses all its sensory characteristics. To be sure of its freshness, check the year of harvest, which should be printed on the label.

Each olive oil has different characteristics, depending on where the trees were planted, the type of cultivar (tree) planted, how ripe the olives were when they were picked, how they were picked and how they were processed.

Location
Among the chief producers of extra-virgin olive oil are Spain and Italy. Other Mediterranean countries like Greece, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria and France are also large producers. Argentina, Australia, Chile, the United States and South Africa all grow olives as well. All Italian regions produce excellent and varied olive oils, with the exception of Piedmont and Val d’Aosta, which produce no oil.

Season
Olives picked early in the season yield a fruity olive oil; olives picked in the middle of the season yield an olive with harmonic flavor; and olives harvested late in the season yield a gentle olive oil. Some of us prefer fruity olive oils, others are partial to milder ones. There is no right or wrong: The only thing that matters is quality.

Of course different olive oils are better suited to different dishes, so that a fruity olive oil on a steamed fish might be a little excessive, and a mild olive oil on a sauté redolent with garlic would be overshadowed.

Price
Often price is a determining factor in our willingness or reticence to buy a particular olive oil. There are cases in which a consumer pays a higher price only for the packaging, not for the oil's quality. While generally price is an indication of quality, it is not an absolute measure. It is important to remember that olive oil is a product of nature, so it follows the rule that mass production cannot reduce the cost unless it also reduces the quality.

Storing
Olive oil should be stored in a closed container, away from heat or light. Correctly stored, good oil has a shelf life of 12 to 18 months. Do not store oil in the refrigerator, however. If you do, it should still be fine—just leave it at room temperature for half an hour, and it will return to its previous consistency.