Frequently Asked Questions

Who, what, when, where, why? Here are the answers to your most common questions about Toscana and our Australian extra virgin olive oil.

1. So, how does an Australian olive grove come to have an Italian name?

2. What are the health benefits of olive oil?

3. What is ‘extra virgin’ olive oil?

4. What is ‘cold pressed’ olive oil?

5. How should I store olive oil?

6. Is olive oil good for your cholesterol?

7. If olive oil is a fat, how can it be good for you?

8. Is your lemon pressed olive oil different to an infusion?

9. I have some olives I would like to get pressed. Can you help?

10. Do you sell bulk olive oil?

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1. So, how does an Australian olive grove come to have an Italian name?

Our grove was named in the early 1960s. As well as honouring the Italian involvement in the establishment of the grove, the story goes that the daughter of the owners at the time had visited the beautiful region of Toscana in Italy and, struck by the similarity of olive covered Tuscan hills with our picturesque Grampians grove suggested this as a good name for the olive grove. It has stuck ever since!

2. What are the health benefits of olive oil?

To name a few: Toscana's olive oil is rich in anti-oxidants. Our sun-ripened olives are pressed on-site within hours of hand-picking, which maximises antioxidants such as Vitamin E, phenolic compounds and carotenoids. Research has shown that anti-oxidants combat 'free radicals', helping to slow the ageing process and prevent various diseases. Anti-oxidants also contribute to the life of our oil and enrich its unique flavour.

3. What is 'extra virgin' olive oil?

Extra virgin olive oil is essentially a fruit juice! It is obtained when oil is extracted soley by mechanical means (no excessive heat or solvents are used) from fresh, good quality olive fruit. It must be free of any taste defects and have a free fatty acidity level less than 0.8%, amongst other attributes. The acidity of Toscana's oil is typically around 0.12%.

4. What is 'cold pressed' olive oil?

Cold-pressing is a term originating from the traditional screw type olive presses. Today it is generally accepted to mean that the temperature during the mechanical processing the olives does not exceed 27°C. Excess heat can increase the quantity of oil extracted, however this compromises it's quality. For this reason, we always cold press our olives.

5. How should I store olive oil?

Heat, light, oxygen and time degrade olive oil. To retain the health benefits and flavour of our oil as long as possible you need to minimise the exposure to these four elements. We recommend storing our olive oil in a dark place with a relatively constant, cool temperature away from direct heat and sunlight. At home, a pantry is usually the best place. Always re-seal the container immediately after use and avoid leaving next to the stove as the oil quickly heats up. Buy the right volume of oil to suit your usage, for example don't buy a 20 litre drum if you use 4 litres per year - consider sharing a drum between friends. If you buy in bulk a simple, practical way to reduce oxygen exposure is to decant into a bottle for every day use and only open the tin occasionally to refill the bottle. In hot climates consider keeping oil in your refrigerator. This will cause the oil to become solid or 'crystallised', however this will not affect the flavour, and after coming to room temperature its consistency will return to normal.

6. Is olive oil good for your cholesterol?

Yes! Olive oil reduces low-density lipoproteins (bad cholesterol), improving the ratio of good cholesterol (high-density lipoproteins) to bad. This helps to lower the risk of heart disease.

7. If olive oil is a fat, how can it be good for you?

Although olive oil is composed of fats, it is the type of fat that is important. Unsaturated fats are easier for the body to process and can lower the risk of some diseases. Olive oil is mainly composed of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat. Olive oil also contains linoleic acid and linolenic acid, types of polyunsaturated fats.

8. Is your lemon pressed olive oil different to an infusion?

Yes, thankfully very different. You only need to taste some to confirm that, however it all comes down to the way we produce it. We use the traditional Italian agrumato method - starting with our organic olives and whole lemons. These are then crushed together and then only the oil extracted. This produces a bold, wholesome flavour superior to that of an infused oil or one made by adding lemon at a later time. This zesty oil is best drizzled over seafood, salads and vegetables.

9. I have some olives I would like to get pressed. Can you help?

Yes - we provide a contract pressing service to many growers. We pride ourselves in maintaining a clean, hygienic processing plant and producing the finest quality olive oil. We have pressed many award winning oils for our contract pressing customers (in addition to our own!). Our Pieralisi plant can process 1.2 tonne per hour, and being a family business we are flexible enough to cater for small and large runs. Please contact us prior to harvesting to discuss your requirements.

10. Do you sell bulk olive oil?

Yes - as one of Australia's largest single esate producers of certified organic extra virgin olive oil we have reliable supply available. Please contact us for further information.