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Extra Virgin Alliance - The Olive Oils
Olivaia
Giulio Zavolta, cofounder of Olivaia’s OLA, is educated & trained in architecture, father to 2 amazing girls, and Rachelle’s husband, the other co-founder. Through design, Giulio learned to appreciate history, science, & the environment. His olives on the other hand taught him that success demands the active engagement of all three. He oversees all growing related activities and ensures that their centennial trees are thriving and giving back with their history and fruit. Through the love of the olive from the family’s history in olives, or the help of more recent teachings, Giulio has learned of the benefits of regenerative farming and how to forage their grove for just the right blend of olives for our award-winning California EVOO. Aside from their EVOO and table olives, Giulio is actively engaged with the table olive & EVOO industry in California as a Board member of the California Olive Committee, the Olive Growers Council of California, and as a Taste Panelist for Applied Sensory & American Honey Tasting Society
Rachelle Bross, cofounder of Olivaia's OLA & PhD trained dietitian, mother to 2 amazing girls, and Giulio's wife, the other cofounder. Together they craft award winning, California EVOOs and artisanal cured olives that represent many of the things that Rachelle is passionate about - food, health, science, cooking and family. She has spent her career trying to help people live healthier lives by conducting research and publishing scientific articles on how what we eat affects our health. Now Rachelle actually grows food that is healthful and that directly helps people to understand that eating well and eating healthy is the same thing. She is actively engaged in the EVOO industry in California and enjoys opportunities to speak/consult about the health benefits of this incredible food.
Company history:
Olivaia’s OLA was born from the cofounders’ desire to reconnect with olives – rooted in family history, the historical and biblical significance of olives, and most importantly, to save a grove of 125+ year old heritage trees from meeting the same fate that has befallen many thousands of acres of historic California olives: being pulled out of the ground for more lucrative crops. Aware of the endless health benefits, the opportunity to repair the planet, and the cultural value in the State of California, the cofounders used their retirement savings to purchase the neglected grove. Their mission was simple but meaningful: restore the trees and preserve a piece of California’s agricultural history. In time the grove rewarded their efforts with trees that thrived and among the familiar Manzanilla and Sevillano cultivars, they discovered unique and unidentified olives. Six years into their adventure, in a batch of experimental oil made just for themselves, they discovered they had crafted a very unique oil that on its first year out in 2 local competitions received a ‘Gold’ and a ‘Best of Show’. Not only was history made in Lindsay, once the table olive capital of California, but the cofounders managed to put ‘history in a bottle’.
Lindsay, California was once the table olive capital of the State of California. The once abundant source of water both from a network of canals from elsewhere in the State and the relatively high water table which was replenished every year from the snow melt in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, together with the rich soil which in the distant past was a lake bottom, meant that the area was poised to feed the nation. Today, with the scarcity of water, the olives could and should be considered the crop of the future. The climate is ideal for olives. The cold winter evenings, and the sunny, warm and dry days make for ideal olive growing conditions.
Rachelle Bross, cofounder of Olivaia's OLA & PhD trained dietitian, mother to 2 amazing girls, and Giulio's wife, the other cofounder. Together they craft award winning, California EVOOs and artisanal cured olives that represent many of the things that Rachelle is passionate about - food, health, science, cooking and family. She has spent her career trying to help people live healthier lives by conducting research and publishing scientific articles on how what we eat affects our health. Now Rachelle actually grows food that is healthful and that directly helps people to understand that eating well and eating healthy is the same thing. She is actively engaged in the EVOO industry in California and enjoys opportunities to speak/consult about the health benefits of this incredible food.
Company history:
Olivaia’s OLA was born from the cofounders’ desire to reconnect with olives – rooted in family history, the historical and biblical significance of olives, and most importantly, to save a grove of 125+ year old heritage trees from meeting the same fate that has befallen many thousands of acres of historic California olives: being pulled out of the ground for more lucrative crops. Aware of the endless health benefits, the opportunity to repair the planet, and the cultural value in the State of California, the cofounders used their retirement savings to purchase the neglected grove. Their mission was simple but meaningful: restore the trees and preserve a piece of California’s agricultural history. In time the grove rewarded their efforts with trees that thrived and among the familiar Manzanilla and Sevillano cultivars, they discovered unique and unidentified olives. Six years into their adventure, in a batch of experimental oil made just for themselves, they discovered they had crafted a very unique oil that on its first year out in 2 local competitions received a ‘Gold’ and a ‘Best of Show’. Not only was history made in Lindsay, once the table olive capital of California, but the cofounders managed to put ‘history in a bottle’.
Lindsay, California was once the table olive capital of the State of California. The once abundant source of water both from a network of canals from elsewhere in the State and the relatively high water table which was replenished every year from the snow melt in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, together with the rich soil which in the distant past was a lake bottom, meant that the area was poised to feed the nation. Today, with the scarcity of water, the olives could and should be considered the crop of the future. The climate is ideal for olives. The cold winter evenings, and the sunny, warm and dry days make for ideal olive growing conditions.
OLA Block X Heirloom
Intensity:
Proper Storage
Use of inert gas blankets storage tanks / bottles and other methods for protecting quality (e.g. temperature controls in production, storage and/or shipping)
Tasting Notes
Label and/or website descriptions of the positive attributes—bitterness, pungency and the range of fruity flavors—and serving suggestions
Traceability
Offering consumers access to traceability information (e.g., QR Codes, blockchain, etc.) Special recognition given to third-party verification
Cultivars
Declaration on the label and/or the website of olive cultivar(s) used to produce the oil
Estate grown
Grown on a single estate
Certified origin
Certification of origin/denomination as indicated by official EU-listed regional production areas
Biodiverse Groves
Hedgerows, insectary planting, owl boxes, cover cropping, interplanting and other practices to bring more diversity to the plant, animal and microbial communities in the grove; recognition for certification programs
Habitat Restoration
Reforestation and rewilding projects
Sustainable
Sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices, including water conservation, organic material and mill by-product recycling/composting, cover cropping, soil building, renewable energy, etc
Heritage Varieties
Made with minimum 80% local cultivars
Centennial Trees
50% of the olive trees are over 100 years old
Family Owned & Operated
Brand is owned and operated by a family company
Community Programs
Involvement in community projects and philanthropyHarvest:
October
Cultivar(s):
8 unidentified unique cultivars (per 2 notable institutions).
Tasting notes:
Medium to robust in intensity with green olive, grass, green banana, green tea, eucalyptus, and nutty sensory notes.
Serving suggestions:
Ideal with sharp cheeses, arugula, broccoli, pork, beef, coffee, berries, desserts, and cocktails.
OLA Estate Sevillano
Intensity:
Proper Storage
Use of inert gas blankets storage tanks / bottles and other methods for protecting quality (e.g. temperature controls in production, storage and/or shipping)
Tasting Notes
Label and/or website descriptions of the positive attributes—bitterness, pungency and the range of fruity flavors—and serving suggestions
Traceability
Offering consumers access to traceability information (e.g., QR Codes, blockchain, etc.) Special recognition given to third-party verification
Cultivars
Declaration on the label and/or the website of olive cultivar(s) used to produce the oil
Estate grown
Grown on a single estate
Certified origin
Certification of origin/denomination as indicated by official EU-listed regional production areas
Biodiverse Groves
Hedgerows, insectary planting, owl boxes, cover cropping, interplanting and other practices to bring more diversity to the plant, animal and microbial communities in the grove; recognition for certification programs
Habitat Restoration
Reforestation and rewilding projects
Sustainable
Sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices, including water conservation, organic material and mill by-product recycling/composting, cover cropping, soil building, renewable energy, etc
Heritage Varieties
Made with minimum 80% local cultivars
Centennial Trees
50% of the olive trees are over 100 years old
Family Owned & Operated
Brand is owned and operated by a family company
Community Programs
Involvement in community projects and philanthropyHarvest:
October
Cultivar(s):
Sevillano
Tasting notes:
Delicate to medium in intensity with grass, tomato leaf, fig leaf, herbaceous, and nutty sensory notes.
Serving suggestions:
Ideal with mild cheeses, mild leafy greens, sushi & crudo, baking, vegetables, chicken, gelato, coffee, and cocktails.
OLA Super Blend
Intensity:
Proper Storage
Use of inert gas blankets storage tanks / bottles and other methods for protecting quality (e.g. temperature controls in production, storage and/or shipping)
Tasting Notes
Label and/or website descriptions of the positive attributes—bitterness, pungency and the range of fruity flavors—and serving suggestions
Traceability
Offering consumers access to traceability information (e.g., QR Codes, blockchain, etc.) Special recognition given to third-party verification
Cultivars
Declaration on the label and/or the website of olive cultivar(s) used to produce the oil
Certified origin
Certification of origin/denomination as indicated by official EU-listed regional production areas
Biodiverse Groves
Hedgerows, insectary planting, owl boxes, cover cropping, interplanting and other practices to bring more diversity to the plant, animal and microbial communities in the grove; recognition for certification programs
Habitat Restoration
Reforestation and rewilding projects
Sustainable
Sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices, including water conservation, organic material and mill by-product recycling/composting, cover cropping, soil building, renewable energy, etc
Heritage Varieties
Made with minimum 80% local cultivars
Centennial Trees
50% of the olive trees are over 100 years old
Family Owned & Operated
Brand is owned and operated by a family company
Community Programs
Involvement in community projects and philanthropyHarvest:
November
Cultivar(s):
A blend of estate olives and San Joaquin Valley similarly farmed olives- 40% Sevillano, 30% Frantoio, 30% Nocellara
Tasting notes:
Medium in intensity with grass, green almond, green pepper, fig leaf, cinnamon, and nutty sensory notes.
Serving suggestions:
Ideal with cheeses, salads, sushi & crudo, chicken & turkey, baking, desserts, ice cream, coffee and cocktails.
The North American Olive Oil Association is committed to supplying North American consumers with quality products in a fair and competitive environment; to fostering a clear understanding of the different grades of olive oil; and to expounding the benefits of olive oil in nutrition, health, and the culinary arts. | © North American Olive Oil Association. All Rights Reserved.