The Olives
Warm Springs Farm trees were sourced in Italy. The olives milled for oil include: Coratina, Frantoio, Leccino, Maurino and Pendolino. The Blend is one-third green and two-thirds Burgundy, which gives the oil its medium-bodied color and flavor.
THE harvest
Warm Springs Farm olives are harvested at the optimal time by hand. The orchards are carefully watched for several weeks taking the into close consideration: temperature, rain fall, frost and pests. The fruit is at its peak of ripeness when it is soft and easily pressed between fingers producing juice that feels oily not watery and when the inside of the olive has turned pink - then it is ready to harvest.
The MILLING
Warm Springs Farm olives are milled locally at McEvoy Ranch’s state-of-the-art milling facility. The olives are milled the same day or the day after they are harvested.
The following process is proven to result in high-quality olive oil:
- The first step is cleaning the olives and removing stems, leaves, twigs and other natural items.
- Then the olives are ground into paste using a blade-milled method. The paste is then mixed / cold pressed and this step allows the small oil droplets to combine into larger ones.
- A process known as centrifugation then separates the oil, water and solids. McEvoy also uses a the Sinolea® Method, extraction through natural dripping cold percolation. This is literally a drop-by-drop process that enhances the organoleptic characteristics of extra virgin olive oils guaranteeing the maximum content of natural antioxidants.
Warm Spring Farms Olive Oil is then barreled and racked where a final separation happens via gravity. Trace amounts of natural sediment may be found in the oil.
The Bottling
Warm Springs Farm Extra Virgin Olive Oil is expertly racked, bottled and labeled locally at Sonoma Valley Bottling. Owner and operator, Jim Walker, facilitates and manages the process to ensure quality control.
The quality
Warm Springs Farm Extra Virgin Olive Oil is Certified Extra Virgin Olive Oil by the California Olive Oil Council (COOC). Since its establishment in 1992, by a group of dedicated farmers, the COOC has grown to represent over 90% of the olive oil production in California.
In order to be certified Extra Virgin, the oil must be tested in a laboratory and meet or exceed specific parameters that indicate the careful handling and storage of the olives and oil. In addition, no chemicals or extreme heat may be used during the extraction process. The oil is also evaluated by a trained sensory panel to ensure there are no flavor or odor defects.
Additionally, the Warm Springs Farm orchard operates using only organic methods. The olive trees are treated with a proprietary clay mist spray developed at UC Davis especially for Warm Springs Farm to prevent the infestation of fruit flies.
The oil is extracted from olives via mechanical pressing where the olives are only subjected to the following natural production elements: washing, decantation, centrifugation and filtration.
The oil is essentially freshly pressed olive juice and does not contain any additives or preservatives. This is the highest quality product often referred to as “liquid gold.”
Extra Virgin Olive Oil has great nutritional value, which it retains for up to two years.
While it can be used for cooking, it is best for sauces, dressings and on its own since it is an unadulterated product.
The Taste
The flavor of Warm Springs Olive Oil is a blend of a unique olive mix: Coratina, Frantoio, Leccino, Maurino and Pendolino. These types of olives create a combination of flavors, complemented by their terroir, such as green fruit, like young apples and nuts, tall grass, citrus, and tomatoes. Additionally the property’s soil is very healthy and does not contain very much clay, which makes ideal for growing olive trees.
As is the case with true Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Warm Springs has a bitter after taste otherwise known as the "bite." When the oil is young the bitterness is more marked, and after the oil has been in the bottle for more than six months the bitterness dissipates.
This olive blend’s taste is crisp and smooth and contains a slight bite at the finish representative of a fresh and balanced oil.
The Health Benefits
Extra Virgin Olive Oil contains antioxidants and “good” fats that have numerous health benefits.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil made from olives harvested at the height of ripeness, like Warm Springs Farm olives, contain the highest amounts of vitamin E, carotenoids and phenolic compounds. These antioxidants have been shown to aid in the prevention of certain diseases and also aging.
More specifically some of the countless qualities of phenols include acting as an anti-inflammatory and encouraging nitric acid to form, which exerts a strong anti-bacterial effect. Olive oil also has a beneficial, protective effect and strengthens other cells in the body against the toxic effects of oxidants.