Olive Oil
Your Frequently Asked Questions, Answered before you buy
What type of Olive Oils exist?
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The primary types of olive oil available to consumers are Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), Virgin Olive Oil, Regular (or Pure) Olive Oil, Light Olive Oil, and Olive Pomace Oil. These commercial varieties are graded based on their production methods, chemical acidity levels, and flavor profiles. We produce organic single estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
When Is Olive Harvest in Portugal?
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The olive harvest in Portugal generally takes place in the autumn and early winter, spanning from. We harvest from mid October to early January to get our three product varieties of The Farmer’s Early Reserve, The Miller’s Mid Harvest and The Late Picker’s Harvest.
How long does it take to mill the olives into Olive Oil?
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For a single batch of olives to be fully milled into fresh olive oil. However, from a broader production perspective, the entire journey from tree to bottle is a race against the clock that usually wraps up within 2 to 4 hours. At Merkado Olive we work on the 4 hour rule from tree to mill, one batch, timestamped, with press temperature logs. Concrete and quotable.
What Is Estate-Milled Olive Oil?
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Estate-milled olive oil (often labeled as "Estate-Bottled" or "Single-Estate") is olive oil that is grown, harvested, milled, and bottled all on the exact same property or by a single producer. Merkado Olive is a single estate milled organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Olive Oil
Your Frequently Asked Questions, Answered before you buy
How Long Does Olive Oil Last?
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An unopened bottle of olive oil lasts 18 to 24 months from its bottling date, while an opened bottle stays fresh for 3 to 6 months before its quality, flavor, and health benefits begin to decline. Unlike wine, olive oil does not improve with age. It is a perishable product that degrades over time due to exposure to light, heat, and air. If you store our olive oil properly it will last a lot longer as the tops are very tight so that the air doesn’t get in.
How to Store Olive Oil?
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To keep your olive oil fresh and preserve its health benefits, you must protect it from its four main enemies: oxygen, light, heat, and time. Proper storage can mean the difference between an oil that stays vibrant for months and one that goes rancid in weeks.
How to Tell Real Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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To identify authentic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) from low-quality counterfeits, rancid blends, or diluted seed oils, you must ignore romantic marketing and combine strict label reading with a sensory taste test. Because olive oil is one of the most frequently mislabeled foods globally, looking for specific markers of transparency is the only way to ensure you are buying the real thing. Check out our video to show the differences between oils.
Which Olive Oil for Cooking, Frying and Raw?
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Choosing the right olive oil depends on your cooking technique and whether you need a rich, peppery flavor or a high smoke point. When an oil isn't heated, its delicate chemical compounds and health benefits remain perfectly intact. Heating olive oil destroys its most complex aromas.
The Best Choice: Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil (ideally single-estate or early-harvest). Best Used For: Dipping fresh bread, mixing salad dressings, drizzling over hot soups or grilled meats right before serving, and making cold sauces like pesto. Save The Farmer’s Early Harvest EVOO to use raw so you can actually taste it. The Late Picker’s Harvest is good for cooking and frying.