Extra Virgin Olive Oils
To ensure ultimate freshness, FIORE “chases the crush” ensuring a constant supply of the freshest EVOO available from regions growing, harvesting and crushing olives each season.
FIORE partners with growers who Nancy and Patrick know and respect personally, in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, to source from the latest harvests. The Northern Hemisphere harvest spans a wide swath of growers from parts of the western US to the expansive Mediterranean region. Harvesting begins in late September and runs through mid-December. The Southern Hemisphere commences the harvest in late April, across South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and then South America and runs through mid to late July. Each harvest is chemically analyzed and certified as Extra Virgin, then further analyzed and certified by Professional Tasting Panels to ensure the consistency of quality and freshness year after year.
In 2022 Patrick achieved certification as an Assaggiatore Professionista Olio di Oliva from the O.N.A.O.O (Organizzazione Nazionale Olio di Oliva) the oldest established organization of professional olive oil tasters in the world, based in Imperia, Italy.
“Where” EVOO is produced continues to dominate perceptions of quality when the reality is that the more important “When”, “What” and “How” of producing the olive oil from olives at the proper level of ripeness is a much better barometer of quality.
The principal framework of the IOC (International Olive Council) standard is focused on Chemistry and Freshness. According to IOC standards, Extra Virgin Olive Oil comes from the first crushing of the fruit with a Free Fatty Acid level below 0.8% with zero flavor defects. Our growers crush within 6 hours of the harvest and the FFA level is typically below 0.3%. Another freshness indicator is Peroxide level, the threshold is 20 meqO2/mg, which indicates oxidation. Our EVOO’s are typically below 9 meqO2/mg. These two variables can be objectively measured and quantified.
Freshness is the key to quality. When an EVOO is fresh there are significantly more positive sensory attributes detectable by the palate. Once analyzed and accepted by the owners, these oils are available to FIORE and its customers within weeks. Simply put, ours are the freshest and most nutritionally well-balanced Extra Virgin Olive Oils available all year round.
