Why Is Olive Oil So Expensive?
At Toque Blanche, we know that quality ingredients are just as important as quality chef tools — and no pantry is complete without good olive oil. This kitchen essential has been prized for over 6,000 years, yet few ingredients vary so widely in taste, nutrition, and price.
So what makes one bottle better than another? Why does cheap olive oil taste flat — and why does the good stuff cost more? Let’s take a closer look.
Understanding Olive Oil Grades
Olive oil can range from low to high quality, and it’s noticeable in taste, consistency, aroma, and nutritional value. Much like wine, olive oil reflects its terroir, varietal, and harvest, with distinct flavors shaped by region, craftsmanship, and year.
Not all olive oils are the same. There are four main grades, determined by how they’re produced and how they taste:
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO): The first cold pressing of the olives, made without heat or chemicals. EVOO must have a free acidity below 0.8%. High-quality EVOOs — like those from Olivelle, with free acidity around 0.3% — also pass organoleptic (taste and smell) testing, which ensures they taste and smell like things from the garden: fresh, fruity, and green.
• Virgin Olive Oil: Also cold-pressed and unrefined, but with a higher free acidity (above 0.8%), which means lower quality and flavor.
• Lampante Oil: Extracted using heat and chemicals from leftover olive pulp — not suitable for eating (the name comes from its historic use as lamp oil).
• Refined Olive Oil (the cheap stuff): Made by refining lampante oil with more heat and chemicals to make it safe for consumption. A small amount of virgin olive oil is blended in for color and flavor, but the result is bland and nutritionally weak.
Why Quality EVOO Costs More
Producing true extra virgin olive oil is labor-intensive and yields are low. Quality producers control every step — from caring for trees to bottling — ensuring freshness and consistency.
Harvest timing plays a major role in both flavor and cost.
Early Harvest: Olives are picked early in the season when they’re still green. They yield less oil — about 8 pounds of oil per 100 pounds of olives — but the flavor is brighter, fresher, and less prone to defects.
Late Harvest: Waiting until winter produces much more oil, nearly five times as much, but at the cost of flavor and aroma.
Single Estate: The olives are grown, harvested, and pressed all on the same estate. They’re typically milled within hours of picking, protecting the oil from oxidation and preserving its complexity.
Together, these practices — careful cultivation, early harvest, and minimal handling — result in vibrant, nutrient-rich oil that truly earns the “extra virgin” name.
How to Identify Quality EVOO
When shopping for olive oil, here’s what to look for:
• Label: It should clearly say Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Look for certifications like COOC (California Olive Oil Council), PDO/PGI (Europe), or NAOOA.
• Harvest Date: Fresher is always better — aim for oil harvested within the past year.
• Origin: Single estate or regional specificity usually signals better control and quality.
• Taste & Smell: Fresh EVOO should smell green and alive, and taste grassy, peppery, or fruity — never musty, flat, or greasy.
How to Store your Quality Olive Oil
Many home chefs store their cooking oils right next to their stove. We recommend you use your everyday olive oil on the counter or near the stove within 1-2 months. The goal is to avoid direct heat and sunlight, so when in doubt store your olive oil in your pantry or kitchen cabinet. Make sure you cap your bottles tightly to prevent oxidation, or use the on-tap olive oils from Olivelle at Toque Blanche to get what you need, when you need it!
Why Olive Oil Is Actually Good for You
High-quality extra virgin olive oil isn’t just less harmful than other oils — it’s genuinely good for you. High in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, olive oil is rich in vitamins A, D, and E and packed with polyphenols. Foods high in polyphenols are considered functional foods, which have been scientifically shown to support your health beyond their nutritional value. These foods form the colorful foundation of the Mediterranean diet, including olives and olive oil, leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, berries, coffee, tea, chocolate, wine, and even balsamic vinegar. Research shows that olive oil can also help lower blood pressure, raise good cholesterol (HDL), reduce bad cholesterol (LDL), and decrease the risk of heart disease.
Worth Every Drop
At Toque Blanche, we carry select, high-quality olive oils from trusted producers who value craftsmanship over quantity, including:
Olivelle: The Art of Flavor:
Since 2006, Olivelle has been creating high-quality single-estate extra virgin olive oil that is infused with a rainbow of flavors. This woman-owned company began with a commitment to quality, and now Olivelle crafts over 150 products from the finest infused olive oils and vinegars to pastas and spice blends. Olivelle works with small family farms that focus on quality over quantity, and every ingredient used in manufacturing must pass their extremely strict taste guidelines to ensure the finished products are something they are proud to label with the Olivelle name. You can shop Olivelle at Toque Blanche, where we feature refillable bottles for local cooks to easily restock their favorite flavors.
Enzo Olive Oil:
For more than a century, the Ricchiuti Family has diligently worked the land in California’s fertile San Joaquin Valley with a goal to sustainably grow, produce and harvest premium fruits and nuts, and their award-winning estate grown Enzo Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. With a desire to provide a farm-to-table experience, Enzo Olive Oil is a regional favorite known for its freshness, quality, and integrity. You can shop Enzo Olive Oil at Toque Blanche, where we stock a curated selection of the finest gourmet additions to your pantry.
Long story short?
Good olive oil is more than an ingredient. It is a reflection of care, craftsmanship, and centuries of tradition.
We invite you to explore our selection of gourmet items here!
