The best olive oil is the one that suits your palate and desires. That could be a single origin oil. But it just might be a masterful blend.

Many companies striving to distinguish their brands in what has become a very crowded extra virgin olive oil market are focusing on the concept of “single origin.” Unfortunately, promoting the idea that single origin is an important guarantee of quality is misleading and confusing to consumers in multiple ways.

Origin can be important for several reasons, but not quality

No doubt, origin is important to many olive oil consumers. Some see it as an indication of traceability to a particular place with which they may associate quality, such as countries or regions that in their minds make the best olive oil. Others may look for oils from a specific origin because of their ancestry or fond memories from a travel experience. Or maybe they’re striving to be “authentic,” using an oil from the place that matches a particular ethnic dish they are preparing. More sophisticated consumers may also look to single origin oils to experience unique varietal characteristics, distinct production techniques, or the terroir (the special attributes imparted by geography, geology, climate).

For any consumer interested in origin, accurate and not misleading labeling is fundamental. “Single origin” however, doesn’t fit the bill. It is a marketing term that is not regulated by any authority and often can mean different things. The term loosely describes olive oil produced using olives from one specific location, but the origin could thus be as large as a country or as small as a single farm. This is in contrast to strictly regulated certifications like DOPs, which means a protected designation of origin, guaranteeing that the olives were grown in a specific location, or the less stringent IGPs, which means a protected geographical indication related to the location of the production process. (The California Olive Oil Council’s “COOC” certification and the Olive Oil Commission of California membership logo both function like a DOP for California-origin oils.)

Further, some will also wrongly use the term “single origin” to include “monocultivar,” which means that all the olives used to make the oil are from a single variety, or “estate-produced” which means that the olives are both grown and milled on a single property. Bottom line, without regulatory guidance, consumers cannot really know what “single origin” actually means in relation to specific products.

Regardless of what “single origin” is intended to mean, it is wrong to link it with quality. Single origin oils can be and often are excellent (as can also be true with monocultivars and estate-produced oils). But it is not necessarily the case. A “single origin” olive oil that is labeled 100% from a particular region from a single olive variety could be sublime. It could also be terrible. That’s because the singularity of the origin (or the variety or the estate) is not what confers quality.

For many, quality is also associated with traceability. But contrary to what those promoting the single origin concept will have you believe, traceability also doesn’t depend on there being a single origin. Thanks to modern technology, companies can provide traceability even for oils that are blended from multiple origins (“olive oil blends”), often assisted with blockchain data and QR codes.

In the end, what determines the quality of an olive oil is not information about its origin, but the skill of the farmers who cultivated and harvested the olives and the miller who extracted the oil (and yes, sometimes even the bottler who creates a blend with different oils). Arguably, the only thing that the “single origin” designation on an EVOO label can guarantee are potential variations in flavor from year to year.

Giving olive oil blends an undeserved bad name

Unfortunately, falsely equating “single origin” oils with quality also implies the contrary is true: that any olive oils that are not single origin, such as blended olive oils, are poor quality. This is also false. The results of skillful “coupage,” as the blending practice is known in the industry, can include flavor consistency (blending allows for a consistent taste year-round, regardless of variations in individual crops), balanced flavor (producers can create a well-rounded product that appeals either to a broader audience or a discerning consumer), and cost-effectiveness (it’s often more economical, allowing companies to offer quality products at competitive prices). Just like single origin oils, coupages can be and often are high quality. Indeed, it is not uncommon for coupages to win esteemed competitions like the Mario Solinas. This is no different than what we know happens in the wine industry, in which vintners blend grape varieties to achieve a desired and often award-winning flavor profiles.

Conclusion

Consumers-as well as the trade and the media-seeking to define quality should not hitch their wagons to “single origin.”

The quality of an olive oil does not depend on whether it comes from a single origin any more than whether it comes from a particular origin, or for that matter, where it is bottled. Indeed, many multi-origin coupages are crafted to meet exacting standards of flavor, versatility, and/or affordability to meet consumers’ demands. The practice is respected in winemaking, and it should be respected with olive oil as well.

When it comes to quality, marketing terms like “single origin”-and “first cold pressed,” for that matter-are false idols that ignore and even disrespect what is truly behind great olive oils: the skill and dedication of the passionate people who make them and bring them to market.

“Without regulatory guidance, consumers cannot really know what “single origin” actually means in relation to specific products.”

Joseph R. Profaci

Joseph R. Profaci has been Executive Director of the North American Olive Oil Association since 2017, with nearly 30 years of experience in the olive oil sector. Previously, he was general counsel for Colavita USA and chaired the NAOOA board. He is a graduate of Harvard College and NYU School of Law.