Four olive oil purveyors—Grove 45, Long Meadow Ranch, Napa Valley Olive Oil Mfg., and Round Pond Estate—received some love from the San Francisco Chronicle in an article spotlighting the growing interest in olive oil tourism.
"Not every winery that produces olive oil sells it or offers tastings," writes author Nathan Hurst, "but if you know where to go, options abound. You’ll learn a lot about olive oil in the process—why tastes are served in darkened cups, how cold pressing works and what harvest date you should look for on your next bottle."
Indeed, California accounts for 99 percent of all U.S. olive oil production, and has earned a reputation as a world-class producer. At least 75 different olive varieties thrive in the state’s microclimates, giving producers a wealth of flavor profiles to work with. Here's a comprehensive guide to olive oil tasting across the Golden State, along with information on eight destinations where you can sample and purchase some of the best product in the world.
