Gifts for the Chef
French & Italian Olive Oils
Les Baux de Provence Olive Oil “Les Baux”
France | Provence
Some tasters consider this Provence’s finest olive oil. I haven’t tasted enough of the others to have an opinion. All I can say is that I fell in love with the stuff in my kitchen in France and started importing it so I would have some here, too. It is from Maussane, Van Gogh country, near Arles. Made with mature black olives, the most buttery and decadent oil we import.
2021 Olio Extravergine di Oliva Biologica
Italy | Tuscany
Castagnoli grows olive trees co-mingled with their vines, on schist terraces looking due west toward the sea in Castellina in Chianti. It is one of the more beautiful corners of all of Italy, and their olives naturally thrive in this wild, organic nature preserve. I look forward to their oil every year for copious use with beans, pastas, ragùs, soups, and greens.
2021 Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Italy | Liguria
Continuing our theme of farm-to-table olive oils from our wine and olive growers in France and Italy, here we have one of the true gems of the Mediterranean basin: Punta Crena’s extra virgin oil, produced by the Ruffino family since 1500! The family’s olio is produced from the same olive trees as always, literally, as these ancient trees are now more than one thousand years old. The Ruffinos farm Liguria’s storied Taggiasca variety, which many insist is the world’s greatest culinary olive. Their venerable trees grow on stony terraces high above the Mediterranean along the Via Aurelia, an ancient Roman road that hugs the rugged Ligurian cliffs. This oil is light, aromatic, and flavorful—perfect for fish, salads, and the other Mediterranean cuisine you are likely to enjoy in the spring and summer months.
Huile d’Olive Vierge Extra
France | Southern Rhône
Full-bodied yet delicate, infused with the joie de vivre of the south of France.