Oregon Olive Mill at Red Ridge Farms Debuts 2012 Extra Virgin Olive Oils

Three distinct olive varietals- Arbequina, Tuscan and Koroneiki are now available for purchase

 
Editor’s Note: Samples of the olive oils and images of the olive oil labels are available upon request

DAYTON, Ore. (May 9, 2012) – Oregon Olive Mill’s fresh extra virgin olive oils for 2012 are currently available for purchase at Red Ridge Farms and direct to consumer shipping through Red Ridge Farms website www.redridgefarms.com. At home chefs, drawn to using local products and looking to add distinct flavors to their dishes finally have access to local olive oil varietals that have become widely popular with chefs known for selecting high-quality and local ingredients at some of Portland’s favorite restaurants, such as Vitaly Paley at Paley’s Place and Philippe Boulot at the Heathman Restaurant.
 

“2011 was our largest milling run to date, with 6,000 liters of Olive Oil produced from Arbequina, Koroneiki, and Tuscan fruit.  It was also our largest harvest of fruit from our estate grown olives as well,” says owner and miller Paul Durant. “Each year produces its own unique characteristics and we are quite pleased with the results of our milling.  I am striving to produce oils that are rich in flavor, with initial fruit notes followed by strong pungency and bitterness that reflects the nature of the fruit.”

 
The Oregon Olive Mill at Red Ridge Farms is the first olive processing plant in Yamhill County and largest commercial mill in the Northwest.  The facility features a state of the art Italian olive mill, which they use to process their olives into oil using olive varietals grown on site including Arbequina, Koroneiki and a blend of Italian varietals known as Tuscan.  The Oregon Olive Mill supplements their locally grown fruit with fruit sourced from outstanding family farmers in Northern California. The oils were tested by an independent lab and certified as meeting IOOC standards for Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

 

The 2012 Olive Oils Tasting Notes

 

 
ARBEQUINA- Spanish
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
 
Aroma: Freshly cut grass
 
Flavor Profile: Green & grassy; fruity (with a hint of banana) and a mild peppery finish.
 
Serving Suggestions: This fragrant oil is lovely drizzled over a summer salad of fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil or for dipping bread and vegetables. Also good with pasta, risotto, soups, chicken and fish.
 
Fruit Source: Oregon and California
Mill Date: November 2011
Pressing: Hammer Milled, Cold Pressed
Cellar: 100% Stainless Steel
Production: 600 gallons
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KORONEIKI- Greek
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
 
Aroma: Herbaceous
 
Flavor Profile: Smooth and buttery with hints of fresh-cut hay and a peppery finish.
 
Serving Suggestions: A versatile oil for dipping or vinaigrettes; also delicious drizzled over grilled or roasted veggies, pasta, meats or fish.
 
Fruit Source: Oregon and California
Mill Date: November 2011
Pressing: Hammer Milled, Cold Pressed
Cellar: 100% Stainless Steel
Production: 260 gallons
 
 
 
TUSCAN BLEND- Italian
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
 
Aroma: Earthy
 
Flavor Profile: Robust, reminiscent of earthy/mushroom flavors with a hint of wood. Very pungent, peppery finish.
 
Serving Suggestions: A full bodied oil that blends well with richly flavored dishes-pastas, potatoes, mushrooms, steak, lamb and game.
 
Fruit Source: Oregon and California
Mill Date: November 2011
Pressing: Hammer Milled, Cold Pressed
Cellar: 100% Stainless Steel
Production: 150 gallons
 


About Red Ridge Farms

Red Ridge Farms is a family-owned, unique destination in Oregon’s Willamette Valley with a nursery and garden shop, the Oregon Olive Mill, Durant Vineyards and a country cottage. Two lodging accommodations are available for guests, a one bedroom guest suite overlooking the valley and the two bedroom Stoneycrest cottage, which overlooks Durant Vineyards. Both properties are available to rent by the night, weekend or week and feature full kitchens and breathtaking views. The Durant family planted their first vineyard in the Dundee Hills of Oregon in 1973 and are pioneers in Oregon’s wine industry. Many of the original vineyards continue to flourish and produce grapes today. Leading the way in agricultural ventures, the Durants opened Red Ridge Farms in 2001, a herb and specialty plant nursery, and have planted one of the largest olive groves in Oregon. At the Oregon Olive Mill, they process their olives into oil using olive varietals grown on site including: Arbequina and Picual from Spain, Leccino, Pendolino, and Coratina from Italy and Koroneiki from Greece. The bottled olive oil is augmented by additional olives from California as the trees reach their full maturity. The Oregon Olive Mill also houses an event space with a patio overlooking the Willamette Valley used for corporate and private events. Durant Vineyards provides wine grapes to the premier wineries in Oregon and also produces over 1,600 cases of Pinot noir, Pinot gris and Chardonnay. For more information about upcoming events and lodging availability, please call 503-864-8502. Red Ridge is located at 5510 NE Breyman Orchard Road, Dayton, Oregon. Find more information at www.redridgefarms.com, on Facebook or Twitter @OregonOliveMill.