7 Mild Extra Virgin Olive Oils You Will Love
7 mild extra virgin olive oils
High-quality extra virgin olive oil tends to be robust in flavor, sometimes even a little spicy. “That peppery kick or slightly bitter finish isn't a flaw, as bitterness and pungency are positive attributes,” says Teresa Pérez Millán, General Manager of The Spanish Olive Oil Interprofessional. “They're characteristics that should be present, to a greater or lesser degree, in a good extra virgin olive oil,” she says, in lockstep with an exceptional oil’s high phenolic content.
Some olive oil brands offer lighter-flavored extra virgin olive oils in squeeze bottles for cooking, and more robust, spicy EVOO for finishing. Discerning consumers, however, may wonder how else they can find higher-quality olive oils that walk on the mild side without resorting to plastic.
Mild Cultivars
Teresa Pérez Millán, General Manager of The Spanish Olive Oil Interprofessional
On one hand, several cultivars were singled out by experts as tending to be a little less piquant than others, with arbequina frequently cited as being the best entry point into the world of extra virgin olive oil. “Arbequina is fruity and very fluid, with bitter and spicy notes that are almost imperceptible,” says Millán. “It’s delicate and mild, and especially appealing to people who are newer to olive oil.” Other cultivars that were tapped for having potential to produce milder oils also include Spanish arbosana, as well as Italian leccino and taggiasca.
Harvest Timing
Domenico Mimmo Tolomeo, Corporate Chef at Orlando Foods
On the other hand, “Harvest timing can further shape the finished oil,” explains Domenico "Mimmo" Tolomeo, Corporate Chef at Orlando Foods, an Italian food company, “with riper olives generally contributing rounder, more mature fruit notes, while earlier-harvest olives produce greener, more assertive characteristics,” he says, meaning that many cultivars besides the naturally milder ones are still capable of producing a more delicate oil. Certain producers may indicate “Late Harvest,” on various bottles to clue you in, while other brands use specific label language such as “mild” or “delicate” to help consumers better understand what’s to expect from the bottle.
From monocultivar to late harvest to oils otherwise crafted to be easy-going, here are 7 of the mildest, high-quality extra virgin olive oils you can buy.
Castillo de Canena Biodynamic Arbequina
“Region also shapes character, just as it does in wine country,” says Millán, with milder oils typically grown at lower elevations, as with the river valley Arbequina olives used in Castilla de Canena’s Biodynamic Arbequina. “It's fruity,” she says. “Think apple, banana, and almond; delicate in both flavor and structure, with just the faintest whisper of bitterness and spice.”
“Because delicate oils pair so beautifully with delicate ingredients,” she says, “an arbequina such as this is my go-to for white fish, chicken, vegetables, a homemade mayonnaise, and especially desserts.”
Olitalia Monocultivar Taggiasca Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Tolomeo tapped Olitalia as an accessible and high quality option for chefs. “Their sourcing across the Mediterranean results in balanced, smooth, and consistent extra virgin olive oils that complement food.” From the brand’s monocultivar line, mellow taggiasca, native to coastal Liguria, delivers a naturally lighter oil that’s ideally suited for coastal delicacies.
ENZO Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Delicate
ENZO is made by 4th generation California farmers, the Ricchiuti family, in the San Joaquin Valley, whose estate grown olives include a variety of cultivars such as arbequina, arbosana, koroneiki, manzanillo, and Sevillano. Producing “Bold,” “Medium,” and “Delicate” options, for the latter, naturally mellow arbequina and arbosana olives are left to hang for maximum ripeness before processing on-site for the freshest possible outcome.
Cobram Estate California Mild Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Australia’s Cobram Estate, parent company of California Olive Ranch, now offers a line of California olive oils, including this California Mild Extra Virgin Olive Oil from its “everyday essentials” range. (Classic and Robust options are also available.) A low-acid, high-quality extra virgin olive oil it says is ideal for baking or shallow frying, or for emulsifying into homemade mayonnaise, the arbequina-dominant blend is “sweet and fresh with aromas of red apples, vanilla, and tropical fruit.”
Terre Francescane Monocultivar Leccino Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Terre Francescane’s olive oil production has an unbroken history since 1639, with olive trees that have centuries of experience. Produced on a historical mill, naturally “graceful” leccino olives are grown on Umbria’s rocky hillsides, and make for a bright but mellow extra virgin olive oil that is ideal for grilled fish, raw vegetables, and risotto.
Château de Montfrin Organic Huile D'Olive
From an organic producer in southern France’s Occitanie region, the Château de Montfrin arbequina and arbosana blend takes a note from the dry garrigue landscape for a delicate oil that whispers a touch of rosemary. Its mild nature supports a variety of uses, but its gently herbal character is ideal for fresh breads and soft cheese.
Kalios 03 Extra Virgin Olive Oil Third Harvest
The “03” in Kalios 03 refers to the third harvest of the season, which takes place in December or January in the brand’s koroneiki groves in the famed Kalamata region of southern Greece. As a cultivar, koroneiki olives are typically on the robust side when early-harvested; however, deliberately late-harvested koroneiki have a gentler spirit. Each of the brand’s oils was chef-selected. Amandine Chaignot of Paris’s Pouliche and Café de Luce represents and curates the late-harvest oil and recommends it for white fish, homemade mashed potatoes, chocolate cake, and roasted fruits.