ABOUT O&V
Extra Virgin Olive Oils
Olives are stone fruits, like cherries and plums. So real extra virgin olive oil is fresh-squeezed fruit juice – seasonal, perishable, and never better than the first few weeks it was pressed.
Don’t pay much attention to the color of an oil. Good oils come in all shades, from vivid green to gold to pale straw, and official tasters actually use colored glasses to avoid prejudicing themselves in favor of greener oils. Both in flavor and aroma, genuine extra virgin oils have, a marked fruitiness reminiscent of fresh olives, and typically have some level of bitterness and pungency (pepperiness at the back of the throat). In great oils these characteristics are harmoniously balanced, together with complex aromas, flavors, and aftertastes that bloom gradually on the senses.
Why the push for chemistry? According to a recent study by the UC Davis Olive Center, 73 percent of the top five brands of imported extra virgin olive oil failed to meet accepted international standards for extra virgin.
Each extra virgin olive oil we sell at our shops are bottled fresh daily and meet exacting chemistry which we proudly display on each product description card. All extra virgin olive oils at Gustare go above and beyond the IOOC (International Olive OIl Council) testing standard that leaves out key points such as freshness and analytics ensuring quality such as DAGs and PPP levels. These key factors objectively determine an oil worthiness.
The Gustare Promise Our naturally infused olive oils consist of the freshest possible super-premium extra virgin olive oil base combined with high quality natural GMO free extracts.
White and Dark Balsamic
Condimento Vinegars
Dark Balsamic Condimento
Gustare dark balsamic condimento is of the highest quality and is crafted in Modena, Italy. Made with an exceptionally high percentage of Italian Lambrusco, Sangiovese and Trebbiano grapes that are slowly cooked to create the highest quality grape must base. The must is then combined with barrel-aged Sangiovese wine vinegar to start the acetification process. The end result is the most premium example of an extremely high-quality balsamic condimento that pairs well with almost every olive oil in our store. It is the knowledge and skill of the artisan that ultimately makes the greatest balsamic condimento. As with winemaking, balsamic vinegar masters aim for particular flavors—a balance of juniper, oak and cherry wood flavors the perfect balance between sweet and sour.
White Balsamic Condimento
White Balsamic undergoes the same cooking process as our dark balsamic but is aged in stainless steel vats. The result is a crisp, tart vinegar with a touch of sweetness and 5% acidity.
The Gustare Promise
Our naturally infused balsamic condimento is certified to come from Modena, Italy and contain only natural ingredients and no artificial flavorings or chemical enhancements.