Bob Lipari approaches things a little differently.
With his wife, Deborah, he set up Villa Barone, a ranch and farm offering agricultural tour weekends, located off the Jerusalem Grade. He planted hundreds of olive trees. He began selling products from soap to meat. He operates organically and sustainably.
Oh, and he decided to press the popular Kalamata olive into extra virgin olive oil.
“I’m not know for doing what everybody else does,” Lipari admitted.
Kalamata olives typically appear on tables, strewn around the edges of a charcuterie tray or spitted on toothpicks at casual gatherings. But if the Villa Barone bottling is a guide, they also create a remarkable oil.
A pour releases aromas that are rich and nutty, with a strong influence of tall, reedy grass and delicate hints of mild fruit. It’s an almost winsome impression, promising tempered flavors and a luxurious texture.
The mouthfeel is indeed plush, as if Lipari discovered a form of alchemy that refines cashmere into liquid. And it caresses the palate with a creamy, nutty savor. But this soft approach is deflected by the sharp crack of black peppercorns — a bittersweet counterpoint.
Before this sharper sensation spreads a mellow murmur, grassy with gentle floral notes, swells and calms the finish.
The result is a balance of bitter and soothing, with a long, lingering conclusion. It’s perfect as a finishing oil, to add depth and richness to salads or as a standalone with fresh baked bread.
And, really, it’s not bad just poured into a spoon.
Lipari harvested the fruit and cold pressed quickly. The olives were off the tree and onto the pad in less than a day. But he points out that the varietal and the point at which one decides to harvest determines the oil’s flavor.
“It’s milder this year than last year,” Lipari said.
He planted the famed Greek Kalamata trees because he is, again, different. He tends groves of Tuscan, Spanish and Sicilian varietals. But, he said, few growers in Lake County venture further.
“I wanted to have oils from different parts of the world,” he explained.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
