The extra virgin olive oil is not just a simple condiment, but a true elixir that possesses numerous nutritional properties and brings about equally many benefits for our health. But as we explained in a previous article, not all oils are the same, and thus it is important to learn how to recognize a good extra virgin olive oil. Once this ability is acquired, it is natural to ask where is it best to buy extra virgin olive oil? Well, we will try to answer this question.
Where can I buy extra virgin olive oil?
Nowadays, thanks to large distribution and the spread of online e-commerce, the possibilities of purchasing essential goods and more have significantly increased. Even those living in areas where oil production is absent or of poor quality have the option to buy it online or in supermarkets. Those who are fortunate enough to live in regions, like our beautiful Liguria, where the olive-growing tradition is deeply rooted have a third option: direct purchase from the company or the mill that produces it.
In supermarkets, you can find everything, and the choice is indeed very wide, perhaps too much. Among the shelves, you can find dozens of bottles, with different labels, which risk creating confusion. In this case, it is good to know which information must be mandatorily reported on the label:
- Name of the food
- Quantity
- Expiration date
- Storage instructions
- Name, business name, and address of the producer
- Place of production
- Nutritional information
- Indication of the production campaign
Particularly important is the last piece of information that specifies the harvest campaign. Choose exclusively an oil that indicates on the label the production campaign of the current year, for example, 2018/2019. Previously, without this specification, it was common to purchase an oil that was a blend of that produced in the current year and that from previous years.
But it is the optional information that tells us much more about the product we have in front of us, as it allows it to stand out from all the others. We are talking about the following labels:
- Cold pressing or extraction, which we discussed previously in a dedicated article
- References to organoleptic characteristics
- Information on acidity
- Certifications such as D.O.P and BIO
These data can only be reported on the label following strict checks and verifications, as they are subject to very severe regulations. The extra virgin olive oils that pass these quality controls are better than those that indicate generic mandatory information on the packaging. Here is an important tool for discrimination that helps navigate the choice among the numerous bottles of oil available in the supermarket.
Another examination is that of the expiration date; current regulations establish that this date should be set eighteen months after packaging. So always make this calculation: subtract 18 months from the date on the label, and you will know when the oil in question was bottled. Many oils, even if not yet expired, remain unsold on the shelves for a long time: it is better to prefer an oil from the current year that has been produced recently.
Of course, we always suggest preferring the purchasing channels that we are about to illustrate, as they offer undeniable advantages.
Online purchase on e-commerce
Technology has reached everyone, even small and medium producers of extra virgin olive oil have started selling online the fruits of their labor. This method is easy, fast, and immediate: just a few clicks to receive quality products directly at home. There is also the possibility of getting more information about the mill or company and the production chain, thanks to the pages of the site that explain, with plenty of photos, how the individual products are made.
Our company Sommariva created its online shop on the date, to allow everyone to try and taste the extra virgin olive oil, definitely our flagship product, but also other typical products such as taggiasca olives, pastes, creams, and sauces, preserves, condiments and other specialties. Everything is made with love, care, and passion to ensure our customers genuine delicacies that can satisfy the most discerning palates.
Purchase at the mill
This is the safest option, error-proof. This is for various reasons; first of all, the shorter the production chain of the oil, that is, without intermediate steps between producer and distributor, the better. Secondly, going to a mill allows for a 360-degree experience: you can discover all the tricks and secrets of the trade, see with your own eyes the tools and phases of production, meet the producers and their business philosophy, and above all taste the products.
This last part is undoubtedly the most interesting also because it allows you to choose the extra virgin olive oil you prefer. Those branded Sommariva are the Muela sweet yet flavorful, Ruxia fresh and slightly spicy, Maina delicate yet assertive, and the latest arrival, the You extra virgin olive oil monocultivar taggiasca, backed by an important solidarity and charity project, as we told you in this article: “You, an oil designed for all women.”
If you live in the province of Savona or in Liguria, or happen to be in our area, we recommend you stop by our museum shop at via G. Mameli 7 in the historic center of Albenga: we will let you taste other delights such as genovese pesto, the olive cream, a specialty of the Ligurian tradition, or the Caviale del Centa of our invention, the dried tomatoes in organic oil, or the olives in brine.
Where to buy extra virgin olive oil? From Sommariva Mill!
As we have seen, the best solution among the three proposed is undoubtedly direct purchase at the mill, as it allows you to experience the quality of the products firsthand and taste them personally. Better than that!
You can buy our products at the museum shop in Albenga or on our online shop www.oliosommariva.com.