Oils & Vinegars

Olive oil

Olive oil has been produced since antiquity. The ancient Greeks and Romans used it in their cooking and cosmetic products, and the Hebrews used it as fuel for candlesticks.

The production of olive oil is mainly concentrated around Mediterranean countries: Spain (43 %), Italy (20 %), Greece (14 %), Morocco (11 %) and Turkey (7 %). All the large producer countries are members of the International Oil Council (IOC), an international organization based in Madrid since its creation in 1959.

The European Union (EU) is a member of the IOC and has adopted several rulings regarding the names and methods of production of olive oil. As Canada is not an olive oil producer and the United States is not part of the IOC, it is on these organizations that one must rely for a clearer view of the vast range of products on the market, as well as their characteristics and quality.

Categories of olive oil

In Europe there are only two categories of virgin olive oils: extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and virgin olive oil (VOO). EVOO is a higher category based on chemical and organoleptic (taste and aroma) criteria. Free acidity is limited to 0.8 % for EVOO, whereas it can reach 2 % for VOO. The parameters of oxidation are also slightly more severe.

OGourmet offers only extra virgin olive oils. However, they can differ considerably in flavour according to the varieties of olives used, the method of harvest, the method of extraction, the method of conservation, etc. For example, to obtain a low level of acidity (a must for fine oil), the olives must be pressed within 24 hours of harvesting. A barely ripe olive will give a lower level of acidity but will also give less oil, quality being then in opposition to quantity.

Given that prices of oils can vary from a few dollars per litre to more than one hundred dollars per litre, and that production volumes are enormous (world production exceeds 2.7 million tons), frauds are common. It is thus necessary to choose olive oil with care.

High quality olive oil can be obtained by all these methods if proper measures are taken. Olive oil quality is equally dependent on the quality of the olives and the time from harvesting to extraction, in addition to the extraction method itself.

Factors influencing the quality of olive oil

The two worst “enemies” of olive oil are oxygen and light. Once an olive is harvested, it should be pressed within 24 hours as oxidation begins immediately upon harvesting. In the period between harvest and grinding, the fruits' enzymes are very active and increasingly degrade the endogenous oil. Therefore oil obtained after a longer wait is of lower quality, and has a higher acidity (oleic acid percentage).

In addition, if additional oxygen is allowed to interact with the olive paste during the extraction process, the acidity level will increase further. Sealed extraction methods are best for preventing the continued introduction of oxygen and light to the oil.

Lastly, after extraction of the oil is complete, the oil must be stored in cool stainless steel silos that are pumped free of oxygen. This will ensure the quality of the oil, and the integrity and stability of its chemical makeup.

Acidity of olive oil

Extra-virgin olive oil comes from cold pressing of the olives. It contains no more than 0.8 % acidity, and is judged to have a superior taste. There can be no refined oil in extra-virgin olive oil. OGourmet offers only extra-virgin olive oils.

Olive varieties

There are at least five natural subspecies of olive trees distributed over a wide range, plus thousands of cultivated varieties of the olive. In Italy alone there are at least three hundred cultivated varieties, but only a few are grown to a large extent. The main Italian varietals are 'Leccino', 'Frantoio' and 'Carolea'.

The varieties of olive found in the oils offered by OGourmet include the Arbequina, the Biancolilla, the Cerasuola, the Coratina, the Frantoio, the Gentile di Larino, the Hojiblanca, the Leccino, the Kappa, the Koronéïki, the Lechín, the Manzanilla, the Mission, the Morisca, the Ogliarola “Cima di Bitonto”, the Passola, the Picual, the Rosciola, the Salonenque, etc.

As blends of different olive oils are a common practice, with each one having its own characteristics, it is quite difficult to establish a classification of oils that would drastically simplify the selection process for the consumer.

Classes of olive oils

Olive oil types are very broad and are gathered under three main headings according to:

1) Taste: bitterness and intensity are determined by tasting.

2) Flavours: the overall aromatic composition of an oil constitutes its fruitiness, which is determined by tasting. This is usually divided in broad categories (ripely fruity, fruity green, fruity black), accompanied by a description (apple taste, hint of tomato, etc.).

3) Kinesthetic and tactile elements: an olive oil can generate a specific sensory response such as pungency and differences in consistency. The intensity of pungency is determined by tasting, and consistency can be subjective, but there is no organoleptic (taste and aroma) scale for this.

Olive oils offered by OGourmet

The olive oils offered by OGourmet come from a large number of producers throughout the world: Agricola Valle Grande (Chile), A. Viani Importe (Germany), Azienda Agricola Ing. Gregorio Minervini (Italy), Azienda Agricola Planeta (Italy), B.R. Cohn (California, USA), CARM (Portugal), Castello Sonnino (Italy), Chez Émile (Quebec), Domaine les Bastidettes (France), Frantoio F.lli Galantino (Italy), Grup Pons (Spain), Hans Kristian and Carrie Jorgensen (Portugal), La Canaleja S.A. (Spain), Marché Transatlantique (Quebec), Marina Colonna (Italy), O (Californie (California, USA), Oliveraies Stavropoulos (Quebec) and Oliveto Fonte Di Foiano (Italy).

Other oils

There are also many other edible oils, some of which have very refined flavours. OGourmet has selected a number of these oils, as they are renowned for their quality and are made by producers of excellent reputation. Our website thus offers almond oil, argan oil (argan oil is produced only in Morocco), avocado oil, colza oil, hazelnut oil, nut oil, pumpkin seed oil, grape seed oil, pine pinion oil, pistachio oil and sesame oil. These oils come from Mediterranean producers but also from Canadian producers, since several of the plants from which these oils are extracted grow in Canada: Agrícola Olivos De Huaquen (Chile), Grup Pons (Spain), J. Leblanc (France), Orphée (Quebec), Tourangelle (France), etc.

Balsamic vinegar

Vinegar is an acid obtained from the oxidation of the ethanol contained in wine, cider, beer and other fermented drinks. Common vinegar has a concentration of approximately 5 % to 8 % acetic acid. Tartaric acid and citric acid are found, in lower concentrations, in natural vinegars. Among the many types of vinegars, balsamic vinegar occupies a special place. Balsamic vinegar is not, strictly speaking, a wine vinegar since it does not come directly from the oxidation of ethanol in wine. It is, in fact, a food condiment. The name is often used by various balsamic vinegar producers in areas other than Modena or Reggio Emilia, either to avoid confusion of origin or to avoid prosecution if the word “traditional” is used along with the term “balsamic vinegar”.

It is dark brown in colour and has a rich, more or less sweet and complex taste, enhanced by prolonged ageing in wooden barrels for several years. Very refined balsamic vinegars may be aged in many different barrels made of different woods, including oak, mulberry, chestnut, cherry, juniper, ash and acacia.

Traditional balsamic vinegar

While the method for producing balsamic vinegar may have originated in France, Italy is the world leader in balsamic vinegar production. The European Union has given two consortia of Italian producers, one in Modena (Consorzio Produttori Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena – ABTM) and the other in Reggio Emilia (Consorzio fra Produttori di Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia – ABTRE), the protected label of origin associated with “traditional balsamic vinegar”. In Italian, these products are labelled DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta). The small 100 ml bottles containing this invaluable liquid are expensive (some cost more than $400), but they are the guarantee of the very high quality and taste specific to traditional balsamic vinegar.

Balsamic vinegar is expensive. Fortunately, because of its concentration, only a small quantity is required. Add it directly on food right before serving, which can be meat, cheese or even desserts. Some people even drink it like a liqueur.

Balsamic vinegars which do not rigorously follow the long maturation process may also be delicious, but they are also easily trafficked to make counterfeit knockoffs. To insure against poor quality, choose products from producers recognized for the quality of their products. For Italian producers, that means they should be members of a producers’ consortium such as Consorzio Aceto Balsamico di Modena (CABM).

Balsamic vinegars offered by OGourmet

OGourmet offers balsamic vinegar products and traditional balsamic vinegars that are at top-of-the-line, at prices to suit the tastes of both dabblers and gourmets. These producers include Acetaia Bellei (Italy), Acetaia Pedroni (Italy), Acetaia San Giacomo (Italy), Acetum (Italy), Azienda Agrituristica Sturlona (Italy), Badia a Coltibuon (Italy), Delouis Fils S.A. (France), Fattoria Estense (Italy), Il Borgo del Balsamico (Italy), Marini Azzolini Tartufi (Italy), Monari Federzoni (Italy) and Villa Bisini Gambetti (Italy).

Other vinegars

Great vinegars are not only produced from grapes or wine. Vinegar can be made from alcohols resulting from the fermentation of certain fruits. One can even produce “balsamic” vinegars using other fruits by following the same methods as for grape must. OGourmet offers exceptional vinegars made from apricots, raspberries, pears, apples, figs, sherry, Cabernet wine, Muscat wine, etc. The producers of these fruit vinegars or balsamic fruit vinegars include Alvear (Spain), Delouis Fils S.A. (France), Gölles (Austria), Grup Pons (Spain), Mas d'en Gil (Spain) and Tutta California (California, USA).

Oils & Vinegars at the best price possible

For all these benefits you pay no more than what you would pay in any gourmet store, if you choose to fill up your cart above the free shipping level.

Our pricing policy is simple. We offer prices on gourmet food products that are lower than those of competitors, with handling and shipping fees included. When you fill up your basket to the “free delivery” level, you'll pay less than what our competitors charge. Take advantage of this winning formula to add gourmet food products to your order so that you get free delivery.

Satisfaction guaranteed

At OGourmet, we are confident that the quality of our oils and vinegars will meet, if not exceed, your expectations. If you are not satisfied with the quality of the products received from OGourmet, we will refund or exchange them if returned within 7 days of receipt.