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  Fall/Winter 2002

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Special Report: JPV Converts 4.5 Acres of

Vineyard to Olive Groves — 2001 Vintage

Produces 36 Cases of Oil

Olive OilIn the 30 years that JPV has cultivated vineyards on the home ranch in Spring Valley, a great deal of experimentation has gone on in an attempt to match individual sites to specific grape varieties. In a vineyard block called “Upper Lake” vines were not thriving — possibly because of the high clay content of the soil — and in 1998 a decision was made to try an experimental planting of olive trees on the 3.5 acre site. To our delight the grove flourished, and in 2001, an additional acre of trees was planted nearby, bringing the total olive plantings to 4.5 acres.

Harvesting olives for high quality oil requires the same care as harvesting for table fruit. Olives tend to take on the odors and flavors of their surroundings, so it is crucial that the fruit be hand harvested, that it not come in contact with the ground or in any way be damaged, and that processing occur as soon as possible after picking to avoid the onset of fermentation or
mold growth.

According to U.C. Davis, “An ideal site for olive oil production has a clay loam soil with a high water-holding capacity and good internal drainage” * — precisely the conditions that the Upper Lake block provided.

As a world commodity, olive oil standards are set by the International Olive Oil Council in Madrid, which divides the product into three types: virgin olive oil, refined olive oil and olive oil (or pure olive oil).
VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Applies only to fruit that has not undergone any treatment other than washing, decantation, centrifugation and filtration. Additional terms used to describe virgin olive oil are “extra” “fine,” and “ordinary.” It is the pure, unadulterated oil from top-quality olives with perfect taste and odor characteristics as judged by a panel of expert tasters.

REFINED OLIVE OIL
Refers to virgin olive oil that has been subject to refining methods, often because olives have been damaged or culled from a pickling operation. Refined oil will have less intense flavors than virgin olive oil.

OLIVE OIL (or PURE OLIVE OIL)
Refers to oils that have been blended to obtain uniformity of color and flavor. Many oils imported into the U.S., as well as most California olive oils, fall under this classification and are labeled “pure” or “100% pure” olive oil.
Surprisingly, the United States has no legal definition for extra virgin olive oil, so in 1992,
the California Olive Oil Council (COOC), in conjunction with U.C. Davis, established a panel
of tasters and introduced a “Seal of Quality” program similar to Europe’s extra virgin olive
oil certification.

This seal is the consumer’s best guarantee that the olive oil is indeed 100% California Extra Virgin, and we are pleased that since our first small bottling in 1998, we have been graded “Extra Virgin” every year.

This year’s bottling was cold pressed at McEvoy in Marin County using a stone mill and centrifugal separator with the oil subsequently settled and racked twice before being bottled in March, 2002.

Reminiscent of the artisan-produced oils of Tuscany, our Spring Valley olive oil has a green, grassy chlorophyll-like component with mildly spicy flavors that contain a hint of pepper.

For ordering information, please call the winery at 800-707-5789.
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