03/01/2025
Have you experienced a full, tableside Olive Oil tasting before? This restaurant with a gorgeous patio overlooking gardens, orchards and vineyards below in Gordes, France, starts every meal with one. And it's fabulous! Who knew Olive Oil could take on all these tasting notes? Grassy, spicy, bitterness, fruity, floral ... Then there is the mouthfeel, smoothness, richness, freshness, and how it tastes with and without the accompanying bread.
It's harder to do large tastings at home without a big budget, as Olive Oils can go rancid once opened after just 3 months and they rarely come in smaller sizes. Unless, I suppose, you consume a LOT of salads with vinaigrettes in that time! But try finding a knowledgeable merchant and bringing home two at a time and start exploring. Share your findings and favorites with dinner guests and create a conversation.
Olive Oils are as complex as wines, and have similar ceremonial tasting styles. A circular warming motion helps release the aromas in special tapered cups (typically in blue to avoid being led by your eyes) which allow aromas to focus. After breathing it in, take a sip (or SLURP), emulsifying it in your mouth. Contemplate it ... And go again.
Next time you're traveling to an Olive growing region, be on the lookout for grove/vineyard tours and/or tasting rooms - and build up your palate as you go!
Photo : AK
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