California Olive Oil: The New Harvest

These California olive oil growers, millers, and makers are dedicated to producing the best extra virgin olive oils that each harvest provides. Some makers both grow and mill their own olives on site. Others take their just-harvested olives to nearby mills. Some work with millers who provide custom crushing to produce their signature brands. A few have their own mills but carefully source all their olives from around the state.

BONDOLIO OLIVE OIL CO. | Winters | Grower/Miller/Maker | TASTING, Tours, and a SPECIAL EVENT

Our passion is for Sicilian culture and foodways, and especially the olive oil. As dedicated stewards of the land, we practice sustainable farming methods and mill on-site. Our estate-blend oil is certified organic and we are certified as an organic producer and processor, which means our mill doesn’t use any chemicals to extract the oil. Make an appointment to come taste Bondolio’s Sicilian Estate Blend, an elegant and unique California extra virgin olive oil made from Nocellara, Biancolilla, and Cerasuola olives. You can also taste our Mandarin Orange co-pressed olive oil and tour the mill.

Malcolm makes pizza on the Bondolio Olive Farm patio. (Photo by Judy Doherty)

 

Stop by the Farm Shop at Gold Ridge Organic Farms to taste their Good Food Award-winning Picholine Extra Virgin Olive Oil from the 2023 Harvest. The Farm Shop at this 88-acre Sonoma County organic farm is open for visitors year-round, and throughout the year, visitors can casually taste the new oils at the Farm Shop Bar every Friday and Saturday at no cos , or they can sign up for an educational tasting. Book a visit online or just stop by the Farm Shop at 3387 Canfield Rd., Sebastopol on Fridays and Saturdays to purchase organic extra virgin olive oils, an array of edible goods and body products, and organic heirloom apples and citrus.

Mark your calendar for the fall olive harvest season, a special time to visit as the farms' award-winning estate-grown olive oils are being milled on-site and offered within hours of harvest. This is when olive oil has the highest medicinal quality, maximum freshness, and best flavors.

IL FIORELLO | Fairfield | Organic Grower/Miller/Maker | TASTING, TOURS, Retail, Café

Truly one of a kind, this family-owned company is dedicated to growing and milling quality estate artisan olive oils produced from organic olives. Visitor center and retail shop open daily. Reservations are required for tastings of unique varietal oils presented with garden-rich food pairings. Find a selection of curated wines to enjoy on the patio and garden areas with chef prepared specialty foods. Custom milling available.

Il Fiorello Visitor Center and Tasting Room in Fairfield

KILER RIDGE OLIVE FARM | Paso Robles | Grower/Miller/Maker
TASTING, TOURS, EVENTS, Retail

Kiler Ridge is a family owned and operated farm producing award-winning, small batch, certified extra virgin olive oils in the hills of Paso Robles. The farm grows seven different Italian olive varieties that are hand-harvested and milled onsite within a few hours of harvest. Visit the farm shop or reserve a time for educational tastings Thursdays through Mondays. Tours are available Fridays and Saturdays. Find Kiler Ridge’s delicious Olio Nuovo at the farm shop and online.

OLIVAIA's OLA | Lindsay | Grower/Miller/Maker

OLA is a premium, all natural, small batch, estate grown, ORIGINAL LINDSAY ARTISANAL olive oil from historic Lindsay groves at the foothills of Sequoia National Park. California olives for CALIFORNIA FRESH “history in a bottle.” Straight from tree to bottle, olives are hand harvested, washed, milled and the OLIO NUOVO is immediately bottled as a seasonal delicacy, ultra fresh, fruit forward, herbaceous with wonderful grassy green notes from the Olivaia ranch. Purchase online at olivaiaolive.com or find at specialty food shops: Market Hall Foods (Oakland and Berkeley), Milkfarm (Los Angeles), Olive Pit (Corning), Semolina Artisanal Pasta (Pasadena), and the Ecology Center (San Juan Capistrano).

SÉKA HILLS | Brooks | Grower/Miller/Maker
TASTING, TOURS, HARVEST EVENT, Retail, Deli

The Séka Hills Olive Mill and Tasting Room at 19326 County Road 78 in Brooks is right in the middle of extensive olive orchards. Stop in to taste, tour, and shop, or look for Séka Hills products at your favorite specialty store or in the online shop.

Photo Courtesy Séka Hills Olive Mill

MORE RECOMMENDED MAKERS

CALIVIRGIN | Lodi | Grower/Miller/Maker with TASTING & TOURS | Open throughout the year.

CHACEWATER WINERY & OLIVE MILL | Kelseyville | Grower/Miller/Maker | TASTING

COBRAM ESTATE | Woodland | Grower/Miller/Maker | Boundary Bend California First Harvest Olive Oil.

CORTO OLIVE CO | Lodi | Grower/Miller/Maker | Family roots in Lucca, Italy.

DOS AGUILAS | Aptos | Grower/Maker | Olive u-pick and curing classes, bulk olive oil sales plus olio nuovo during harvest season

ENZO OLIVE OIL CO. | Clovis | Organic Grower/Miller/Maker with retail TASTING and mill tours | New-harvest, olio nuovo, and finished oils available online or at the tasting room.

FAT GOLD | Clovis | Miller/Maker | New-harvest oils from diverse cultivars available by subscription.

43 RANCH | San Ardo | Grower/Miller/Maker with Retail, TASTING, and MILL TOURS | Seasonal olio nuovo and extra virgin olive oil available.

FRANTOIO GROVE | San Martin | Grower/Miller/Maker | Distinct single-varietal extra virgin olive oil milled from their 30-acre grove of “Frantoio” olive trees.

FROG HOLLOW FARM | Brentwood | Organic Grower/Maker | Olio nuovo and new-harvest extra virgin olive oil. Tasting and sales at several Bay Area farmers' markets, or purchase by mail order.

GROVE 45 | Calistoga | Grower/Maker with Retail, TASTING, and TOURS | Adding a mill in 2024. Visits include tasting of Grove 45 wines.

GRUMPY GOATS FARM | Capay | Organic Grower/Maker | Robust extra virgin olive oils and seasonal olio nuovo. Tasting by appointment. Visit at the Downtown Palo Alto Farmers' Market.

MCEVOY RANCH | Petaluma | Grower/Miller/Maker with TASTING and TOURS | Harvest tours Fri–Sun. Community milling.

LIKE FAMILY | Grower/Maker | Carmel Valley | Unfiltered ‘22 Olio Nuovo with limited-edition artwork by Maria Schoettler. Smooth and peppery Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil blends.

OLIVE LOVE | Durham | Grower/Maker | Celebrate the season with Olive Love Olio Nuovo and new harvest extra virgin olive oil.

THE OLIVE PRESS | Sonoma/Napa | Miller/Maker | Community Milling, Retail, TASTING

OLIVE QUEEN | Forestville | Organic Grower/Maker | A sense of place, unique terroir, and a respect for the land.

OLIVE TRUCK | California | Miller/Maker | Read about this innovative producer in the Winter Holidays 2021 issue of Edible East Bay.

OLIVINA | Livermore | Grower/Miller/Maker | Tours with TASTING, Community Milling

PASOLIVO | Paso Robles | Grower/ Miller/Maker with TASTING & TOURS | Offers tours year round and olio nuovo tasting right off the mill during harvest season.

PERFUSION | Richmond | Grower/Maker | TASTE at the Grand Lake Oakland and Clement Street San Francisco farmers' markets. 2023 olio nuovo available soon

RIO BRAVO RANCH | Bakersfield | Grower/Maker | Fiifth-generation family farm. Find at Market Hall Foods in Oakland and Berkeley and online. 2023 olio nuovo now available for pre-order!

ROUND POND ESTATE | Rutherford | Grower/Miller/Maker | TASTING at the Mill

SOUL FOOD FARM | Vacaville | Grower/Maker with Retail | 2023 Olio Nuovo now available.

STONEHOUSE CALIFORNIA OLIVE OIL | San Francisco | Grower/Maker with Retail | Visit their San Francisco Ferry Building store for olive oils on tap!

TERRA SÁVIA OLIVE MILL & WINERY | Hopland | Grower/Miller/Maker | TASTING at the Mill

TRES OSOS | Carmel Valley | Organic Grower/Maker | Purchase online or at Quail & Olive in Carmel Valley. (Note: Alice Medrich used Tres Osos 2020 extra virgin olive oil for final recipe testing on her Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cake.)

WILD GROVES | Newcastle | Grower/Maker | Fourth generation of Lucero olive farmers, producers, tasters, and blenders.