OLIVE OIL REVOLUTION is Here!

This is my favorite category of oil: green and grassy, with fire in the finish. Happily, the largest share of oils we received was in this category--possibly because it's popular, but possibly because these oils were harvested earlier (many in October-November 2009) and bottled earlier than the oils in other categories. And one more thing to think about: notice how many of my winning fresh oils were produced in California!

Who'da thunk this crazy oil would end up on top? Yes, I tasted a number of top-quality olive oils from this excellent producer located in the hills of Yuba County, to the east of California's hot Central Valley (at the northern end of that Valley). But I was blown away by this one, made from rare Barouni olives, which are native to.....Tunisia! Olive trees were brought from there to California about 40 years ago, and you'd be hard-pressed to find Barouni olives anywhere else.....except Tunisia and Yuba County! How do we do without? This was one of the richest and most flavorful oils in my entire tasting! Unctuous-looking green with gold hints. The nose reveals an exaggeration of the Tuscan bruised-fruit thing, with some fresh peaches lurking in the background, along with touches of herbs and metal. On the palate, this elixir is so rich it's almost sticky--but never does it cross the line into greasy. Then, as you're getting over the texture stimulation, a bitterness-pungency storm kicks up--moderate on the bitterness, insane on the spice, which doesn't so much tear at your throat as spread electricity over your whole palate for a long time. If I were looking to sex up some crudo –maybe something full-flavored and full-textured, like yellowtail--I'd go Tunisian in a heartbeat. Apollo also makes a fine Cal-Tuscan-style oil (Sierra), and a fine Provençal style oil (Mistral).

Oh baby...do I love this place. Here's what it says on the back label, printed right on the glass, so you can't suspect a new label was glued on an old bottle: "Harvested and cold pressed in late December 2009." It doesn't get better much than this!!!