Bozzano Olive Ranch
Stockton, CA

a2 07/08 LA Intl. Gold; Yolo County Gold
Toscana 07/08 Yolo County Gold

Bozzano Olive Ranch is situated in the San Joaquin Valley of California and produces a variety of olive oils of which I have tried their a2 and Toscana. Multiple award winners, their oils have a good mix of flavour, consistency, and pungency. The a2 is by far one of my favourite oils and I would recommend any olive oil fan to get a hold of a bottle. Since it’s not quite season for the new 08/09 oils, I unfortunately haven’t been able to taste their newest oils, but the 07/08 vintage will still remain good for another 6-8 months and is still worth looking for.

First and foremost is the a2, Bozzano’s Arbequina and Ascolano blend. I would say it is the oil I would most likely pick if I could only use one olive oil for the rest of my life, that or Olea Farm’s Crescendo. The first time I ever tasted the a2 I simply stated that it was “liquid gold” and I still am adamant that it is a fantastic oil with little rivals in its class. The a2 has an initial sweetness of peaches and a tomato on the nose with the tomato becoming more pronounced with age. The consistency of the oil is smooth and slightly cooling, but warms up quickly and coats the mouth with a luscious sweet flavour of peaches and very ripe olives. The aftertaste only has a hint of pungency, almost a rasping peppery sensation that lasts for just a few seconds while the whole oil warms up at the back of the throat. If there was one oil that I would drink by itself this would be it. What I most like about the a2 is its seeming versatility. With a sweeter taste I would pair it with bitter greens and a sweet aged balsamic for a salad, or saute it with light vegetables such as zucchini or broccoli. The a2 would pair well with a large number of hard or semi hard cheeses, especially nutty cheddars or swiss gruyere.

The Toscana in contrast to the a2 is a Tuscan varietal blended oil and I can’t say I like it much. The Toscana is a late harvest tuscan blend and when it comes to Italian flavoured oils I much prefer a strong green olive taste of early or prime harvest oils. The nose of the Toscana is mildly vegetal and floral. The taste is much milder than the a2 with a buttery smooth consistency and almost no initial flavour. Like most Late Harvest, the pungency of the oil also diminished and the late taste and after taste are almost impersonal, with just a hint of bitter and peppery notes. The Toscana would pair well with white wine based pasta dishes and light cheeses flavoured medium soft cheeses.

Bozzano’s a2 is an amazing oil and well worth the higher price tag of about $25-30 per 500ml bottle. It’s versatility and unusual flavour due to the Ascolano and Arbequina blend put it in a class of its own.