Photos courtesy of Roberta Klugman
By Roberta Klugman—
“The more you use a good quality olive oil, the better your food will taste.”
—Rolando Beramendi, founder of Manicaretti and author of Autentico
Those are words to live by, deliciously and healthily!
Spring is the time to seek out the newest extra virgin olive oils—the current harvest from olives picked and milled in the previous fall and early winter. Look for a harvest date (month and year), use up older bottles, and make room for fresh oils that deliver bright flavors to your table.
With so many exceptional extra virgin olive oils available, this is just a start. Prices will vary from store to store to direct from the producer. Usage suggestions are just that, suggestions.
Delicate
(ideal for tender seafood, spring vegetables, fruit salads, and lighter sauces)
Olivaia OLA Estate Sevillano (Lindsay, CA) $28/375ml
This is a graceful oil that enhances fish and spring produce like fava beans, asparagus, and artichokes. Founders Giulio Zavolta and Rachelle Bross revived a century-old Central Valley grove—history in a bottle.
https://www.olivaiaolive.com/
Enzo Olive Oil Company Delicate Arbequina (Clovis, CA) $26/500ml
Widely available, approachable, and versatile for everyday use, this EVOO balances subtle zestiness with buttery notes. https://enzostable.com/
Marqués de Valdueza Merula Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Spain) $26/500ml
Fruity and fragrant, with a gentle finish, this estate-bottled oil is a blend of the rare Morisca olive with three local cultivars: Hojiblanca, Picual, and Arbequina https://marquesdevaldueza.com/en/
Medium
(balanced and versatile, and able to liven up grilled vegetables and fruit, fuller-flavored fish, and vinaigrettes; also good for use in baking)
Spedalotto Tonda Iblea D.O.P. (Sicily) $35/500ml
This EVOO is remarkable and rare, with a fetching aroma of tomato leaf and fresh herbs with green, grassy notesand full tomato flavor.It is excellent for dipping, drizzling, and finishing. https://www.paternodispedalotto.it/
Bondolio Estate Blend (Winters, CA) $40
Made from Sicilian varieties, this oil is hand-harvested and milled within 90 minutes. It is elegant and aromatic, and Bondolio’s farm and mill are worth a visit. https://www.bondolio.com/
Frantoi Cutrera and Partanna (Sicily)
These are reliable Italian producers offering several different styles at various price points.
https://cutrera.com/en/
https://partannafoods.com/
Robust
(bold, peppery, intense, and complex; for finishing dishes and adding depth to hearty sauces, cheeses, meat off the grill, gelato, and they are magical on popcorn)
Frescobaldi Laudemio $28/250ml and $45/500ml (Tuscany)
A Tuscan classic, it dances on the tongue with everything green—just mowed grass, green tea, artichoke, green olives, and, like arugula, it is fresh, peppery and bitter all at once. https://www.frescobaldi.com/en/
McEvoy Ranch (Petaluma) $40/375ml
McEvoy Ranch is a pioneer of California’s olive oil renaissance that introduced Tuscan varieties and traditions to California. It produces vibrant oils and welcomes visitors to its scenic ranch. https://www.mcevoyranch.com/
Look for Coratina, a Southern Italian variety, such as fromGrumpy Goats and Olive Truck.There are also several coming in from Greece.
https://www.grumpygoatsfarm.com/
https://www.olivetruck.com/
For a taste of Spain, look for oils from the Picual olive, the most widely planted olive in Spain. In California, such oils are becoming known for their nuanced, distinctive flavors and their classic tomato leaf aroma.
Everyday ‘Workhorse’ Oil
(dependable, high-quality oil for cooking to finishing)
Séka Hills Arbequina (Capay Valley, CA) $26/500ml
Balanced, fruity, and peppery with a touch of bitterness, Séka Hills Arbequina is produced by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation in the Capay Valley. The tasting room offers a beautiful setting amidst the olive orchard with views of the blue hills that inspired the name Séka Hills in the Tribe’s native Patwin language. In the tasting room you can sample their other, limited production oils. https://www.sekahills.com/
Roberta Klugman receiving the 2017 California Olive Oil Council Pioneer Award
Where to Purchase EVOOs in the Bay Area
In this piece I have highlighted just a few of the many excellent options from the 2025 harvest. Explore and discover your next favorites! Find these and other EVOOs at specialty food retailers and well-stocked markets, such as Bi-Rite, Cheese Plus, Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco, and Market Hall Foods Oakland. Several Bay Area restaurants also use these oils and call them out on menus.
Another place to visit is Gold Ridge Organic Farms in Sebastopol, where you can sample a range of their extraordinary oils. https://www.goldridgeorganicfarms.com/
In San Francisco, stop by Olive This Olive That and explore the wonderful world of small-batch California olive oils. While tasting these oils, you will also hear about the stories and history of these dedicated artisans. https://olivethisolivethat.com/
An olive tree
Additional Online Sources
Market Hall carries most of these oils in the Rockridge store and many on their ecommerce site.
https://www.markethallfoods.com/
For Italian oils, check out
https://www.olio2go.com/
Encompassing many olive oil regions, but not California, is
https://oliveoillovers.com/
Roberta Klugman is a ceaseless champion of olive oil. Her work with producers, brands, retailers, and organizations has fostered awareness about the uses and benefits of extra virgin olive oil and helped build consumer preference for olive oil. She is a recipient of the California Olive Oil Council Pioneer Award, and serves as Co-Chair of the Good Food Awards Oil Committee.
Bay Times Dines
Published on March 26, 2026
Dining and Cooking