About This Oil
This is the oil straight off the press at Klein La Rochelle. Unfiltered, cold-extracted at under 27°C, and bottled on the farm without anything added or taken away. The olives are picked by hand each autumn, pressed within hours of coming off the trees, and the only thing that happens between the grove and the bottle is sediment settling at the bottom. That sediment is the flavour. Shake the bottle gently before pouring.
Where It Comes From
Our grove sits in the Breede River Valley, just outside Rawsonville. The trees are mainly Coratina, plus a smaller number of Mission, as well as Frantoio, and they’ve been on this farm since 2008. Everything you taste in the bottle came from a tree we can walk to.
How It tastes
Bright and grassy on the nose, with a round bitterness, and a peppery finish at the back of the throat. That’s not a flaw; it’s the polyphenols, and it’s a sign of a fresh, properly made extra-virgin oil—mild bitterness, especially in the first months after harvest. The pepper softens as the oil ages.
How to use it
It’s a finishing oil first, a cooking oil second. Where it shines:
- Drizzled over salad, hummus, or roasted vegetables
- Stirred into the soup just before serving
- With fresh bread and a pinch of salt
- As the base for a vinaigrette
- Spooned over labneh or fresh cheese
It’s fine to cook with high polyphenol oil. It’s actually one of the more stable oils to heat, but if you’re going to deep-fry, use something cheaper. You’ll lose what makes this oil worth buying.
How to store it
THIS OIL IS SO GOOD, THAT YOU WILL USE IT LONG BEFORE YOU MAY WISH TO STORE IT AWAY.
But if you really wish to store it for an extended time, then keep it cool and dark. A cupboard away from the stove is fine. Direct sunlight and heat are what age the oil fastest. Best within 12 to 18 months of the harvest date. Once opened, use within a few months for the freshest flavour. Enjoy!
