The centre to taste oils

Margaret Riviera has expanded its olive oil section in response to demand for produce from this fast growing new local industry.

We now stock the biggest range of local oils in the district, many of which may be tasted. While we usually have at least one oil on the tasting table, please feel free to ask to taste any other oils we may have on the tasting list.

As of October, 2002, we have stocks of Matisse (Yallingup), Agonis Ridge (Rose Brook), Olio Bello (Cowaramup), Burnside (Cowaramup), Forest Grove (Forest Grove), Olive Hill Farm (Osmington), Stuffed Olive (Karridale), Middlewood (Rosa Brook) and Gracehill (Cowaramup).

Many of these oils won medals at the 2002 Perth Royal Show, including Matisse that won one of three gold medals that were presented.

Because of the interest in extra virgin olive oils we have decided to depart from our local-only policy and we have negotiated small quantities of the other two gold medal winners, Tarnagulla (Balingup) and Kailis (Baldivis).

Very limited quantities of the Tarnagulla arrived this week (late October) and we are expecting the Kailis oil any day now.

The Margaret River region showed it was a real force in the olive oil industry when it took off 18 medals from 84 oils exhibited, more than any other region.

Here are the chairman of judges comment on some of the oils we have in stock:

• Matisse: Fresh green olive fruit. Slight bitterness and lingering pepper rounds off this excellent oil.
• Tarnagulla: Complex apple fruit aroma carries through into the flavoursome palate. Pleasant late pepper complements this well balanced and fresh oil.
• Kailis: Intense fresh green tomato character. Good fruit on palate albeit not as intense as the nose. Late throat catching pungency.
• Gracehill: Leafy olive aroma and solid flavour. A big oil with significant bitterness and pungency.
• Middlewood. Moderate fruit with olice and spicy characters. Chilli like pungency which was pronounced.
• Agonis Ridge: (Frantoio/WA Mission) Spicy peppery nose. Light flavour with strong bitterness and pungency. (Tuscan blend) Intense fresh olive characters with unusual cold tea aroma. Firm flavour, butterness and poungency. A very good oil. Just lacking flavour depth to be outstanding.
• Forest Grove: (Frantoio/WA Mission) Grassy nose and Granny Smith flavour. Some cola like characters on palate as well. Moderate bitterness and chilli like pungency. (WA Mission) Spiced apple aromas. Interesting character. Moderate bitterness and late peppery pungency.
• Olio Bello: (Romanza). Light fresh gasssiness. Palate showed moderate fruit and moderate to firm bitterness and pungency. (WA Mission) Green banana aromas. Riper flavours with light bitterness and late pungency.
  

Tasting olive oil: What to look for. This is an article written a year or so ago.