Walking down the supermarket aisle dedicated to cooking oils can feel overwhelming, especially when faced with the sheer variety of olive oils. Bottles of all shapes and sizes, promising golden liquid sunshine, line the shelves. But how do you choose a genuinely good olive oil, one that delivers flavour and quality, without falling for misleading labels or inflated prices? Navigating this world doesn’t require being a connoisseur, just knowing what to look for.
First, let’s understand the basic grades. The top tier is Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO). This is the highest quality, produced solely by mechanical means (crushing the olives) without heat or chemical treatments. It must meet specific chemical standards, including low acidity, and possess positive sensory attributes – fruitiness, bitterness, and pungency – with no defects. Think of it as pure, unadulterated olive juice.
Next comes Virgin Olive Oil. It’s also produced mechanically, but it allows for slightly higher acidity levels and may have minor sensory imperfections. It’s still a natural product but doesn’t meet the strict criteria for the ‘extra’ designation. Finally, there’s regular ‘Olive Oil’ or ‘Pure Olive Oil’. This usually consists of refined olive oil (which has been treated to remove defects, flavour, and colour) blended with a small amount of virgin or extra virgin olive oil to add back some taste and aroma. It’s a more neutral oil, suitable for cooking where you don’t want a strong olive flavour.
Decoding the Label: Your Map to Quality
The label is your primary tool for assessing potential quality before you even open the bottle. Don’t be swayed by fancy designs alone; look for specific information. Price isn’t always a reliable indicator either – very expensive doesn’t automatically mean very good, and some reasonably priced oils offer excellent value.
Harvest Date Matters Most
Olive oil is essentially fruit juice, and like any juice, it’s best when fresh. Unlike wine, olive oil does not improve with age. Light, heat, and oxygen are its enemies, causing it to degrade over time, lose flavour, and develop rancidity. Look for a Harvest Date or Pressing Date on the bottle. This tells you when the olives were picked and milled. Aim for the most recent harvest available, ideally within the last year or 18 months at most. A ‘Best By’ date is less helpful, as it’s often set two years from bottling, not harvesting, and the oil could have sat in a tank long before being bottled.
Always prioritise the Harvest Date when choosing olive oil. Fresher oil generally means better flavour and quality. If only a ‘Best By’ date is shown, try to estimate backwards, but a harvest date provides much clearer information about the oil’s age.
Understanding Origin
Where do the olives come from? A label stating ‘Product of Italy’ might mean the oil was simply bottled there, using olives or oil from various countries (like Tunisia, Spain, Greece). For better traceability and often character, look for more specific origins. This could be a particular region (e.g., Tuscany, Andalusia, Crete) or even a single estate. Oils from a specific place tend to have more distinct flavour profiles reflecting their terroir.
Keep an eye out for seals like PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) or PGI (Protected Geographical Indication). These European Union certifications guarantee that the oil was produced, processed, and prepared in a specific geographical area using recognised know-how. While not an absolute guarantee of superb taste (individual producer skill still matters), they offer assurance about origin and production standards.
Packaging Protection
How is the oil packaged? Light is detrimental to olive oil quality. Always choose oil bottled in dark glass (green or brown) or opaque tins. Clear glass or plastic bottles expose the oil to light, accelerating degradation. While clear bottles might look appealing on the shelf, they are a poor choice for preserving the oil’s delicate compounds and flavours. The size of the container also matters; buy a size you expect to use within a few months of opening to ensure freshness.
Beyond the Basics: Acidity and Taste
While lab tests determine official grading (like the acidity level, which must be below 0.8% for EVOO), you can’t taste acidity directly. Lower acidity generally correlates with better handling of the fruit and quicker processing after harvest, indicating higher quality fruit and production. Some producers list the acidity level at bottling, which can be an indicator, but the harvest date remains more critical for the consumer.
What you *can* perceive is taste. High-quality EVOO should have positive attributes: Fruitiness (reminiscent of fresh olives, sometimes grassy, herbal, or like tomato leaf), Bitterness (detected on the tongue), and Pungency (a peppery sensation in the throat). These characteristics, especially bitterness and pungency, come from beneficial polyphenols and indicate a fresh, well-made oil. Don’t mistake these for flaws; a bland, buttery oil might be old or of lower quality.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Buying
It’s easy to go wrong, even with the best intentions. One common mistake is buying huge containers thinking you’re getting a bargain, only for the oil to go rancid before you use it all. Buy a size appropriate for your consumption rate. Another pitfall is assuming ‘Light’ or ‘Lite’ olive oil is lower in calories; it’s not. This term refers to a lighter flavour and colour, usually indicating a refined oil, not reduced fat content.
Falling for pretty labels without checking for crucial details like the harvest date or specific origin is also frequent. And finally, don’t just grab the cheapest option assuming all EVOO is the same. There’s a vast range of quality within the extra virgin category itself.
Where to Buy and How to Store Your Treasure
While supermarkets are convenient, their sourcing and storage conditions (bright lights, potentially warm shelves) might not always be ideal. Consider specialty food stores, farmers’ markets (if you’re in an olive-growing region), or buying directly from reputable online retailers or producers. These sources often have knowledgeable staff, fresher stock, and a curated selection of higher-quality oils.
Once you’ve brought your carefully chosen olive oil home, storage is key to preserving its quality. Your enemies remain heat, light, and air. Store the bottle in a cool, dark place, like a pantry or cupboard away from the stove or oven. Avoid storing it on the countertop, especially near a window, or in the refrigerator (this can cause condensation and doesn’t significantly extend shelf life, plus it solidifies). Always seal the cap tightly after each use to minimise exposure to oxygen.
Never store your olive oil near heat sources like the stove or in direct sunlight. Heat and light rapidly degrade the oil, destroying its flavour and beneficial properties. Always keep it tightly sealed in a cool, dark cupboard for optimal freshness.
Choosing good olive oil enhances your cooking immeasurably, adding nuance and flavour far beyond mere fat. It’s worth taking a few extra moments to read the label, understand the basics, and store it correctly. Don’t be afraid to try oils from different regions or producers to discover the diverse world of flavours olives can offer. Happy tasting!
