7

2008 Traditional Blend - Available now.


McEvoy Ranch Traditional Blend
Estate-grown and produced in the Tuscan style from six carefully selected Italian olive varieties, this richly complex oil has a medium body with a mild, savory bitterness and a distinct, yet delicate pungency. The appearance is grass green at harvest, mellowing to a greenish gold after a resting period of a few months immediately following, whereby the oil is left in storage tanks for settling until it is ready for bottling as McEvoy Ranch Traditional Blend. The acidity is 0.08% at harvest, more than qualifying it for extra virgin status.

McEvoy Ranch Olio Nuovo
Olio Nuovo, the new oil produced and sold during the olive harvest and for a few short weeks thereafter is our extra virgin olive oil at its absolute freshest. Unlike our Traditional Blend which is transported directly to mixing tanks for a period of rest, the fruit in the Olio Nuovo blend goes from tree to mill to bottle in a matter of hours, before the solids have rested.

The resulting oil is a luminescent product with the color and perfume of newly-mown grass, rich consistency, and an intense, full-bodied flavor, often described as the olive oil equivalent of Beaujolais nouveau. And while it will keep safely for two years or more under proper storage conditions, we recommend using it within 30 days of purchase to enjoy the inimitable flavor of this exquisite new oil at its peak of freshness.

The bottling of the Olio Nuovo marks the conclusion of another successful harvest, and the time for true thanksgiving and celebration to begin.


As with wine, in the world of olive oil tasting there is a specific vocabulary used to describe both positive and negative attributes:

Positive

Bitter – in moderation, biting flavor akin to black tea, dark chocolate. Typical of unripe olives and certain varieties.

Pungent – or piquancy. A tingling or peppery sensation in the back of the throat. A quality especially appreciated by fans of Tuscan oils.

Fruity – flavor and aroma of olives. Ripe olives tend towards nutty, buttery or floral; green olives evoke grassiness, green banana and artichoke.

Negative

Fusty – Characteristic flavor of oil caused by anaerobic fermentation; a result of olives left stored in piles for too long.

Musty – Moldy flavor. Result of olives stored in humid conditions before milling or pressing.

Rancid – Off-flavor. Indicates product on shelf too long or improperly stored.