Bondolio: Good Olive Oil is Life-Changing
Is good olive oil really life-changing? If you ask Karen Bond, the founder of Bondolio, the answer is a firm yes. A self-described “good Italian girl,” Karen knew her way around a kitchen. She had cooked with olive oil her whole life – but she didn’t really think much about it until a chance olive oil tasting changed everything. Karen recalls, “During a holiday trip to Italy, Malcolm and I were staying at a B&B east of Naples (in Southern Italy). On the last morning of our visit, our delightful hostess invited us to taste her family’s olive oil. Milled just the night before, from olives growing on 1,000-year-old trees, this oil was green, aromatic, and lively on the tongue. I had never tasted anything like it.”
A grand olive oil sampling tour
That one simple tasting instantly inspired Karen and her husband Malcolm Bond to produce their own olive oil. The timing almost seemed fated. Just before their Italian getaway, they had pulled their entire ten-acre Northern California almond orchard, planning to replant a more disease-resistant variety. Instead, the couple set off a two-year mission to learn all about olive growing and olive oil production.
Karen and Malcolm traveled from northern Italy all the way down to Sicily tasting different oils. All the while, Malcolm faithfully recorded Karen’s preferences in his trusty Excel spreadsheet.
After sipping and slurping her way through hundreds of single varietal olive oils and blends, it became clear that Karen preferred Sicilian olive varieties – specifically Nocellara, Cerasuola, and Biancolilla olives.
Bondolia olive oil -Bringing their dream to life
The Bonds’ quest to bring this unique mix of olive trees to California quickly turned into an odyssey. Finally, after years of import drama, red tape and quarantine, they were granted permission to plant their trees in 2009 – almost a decade after that first life-altering olive oil tasting.
The initial harvest was small, only about 300 pounds, but the olive oil was promising. Bondolio celebrated their first commercial harvest in 2011. Karen and Malcolm were confident that they had an amazing oil on their hands.
They didn’t waste any time entering Bondolio olive oil in competitions across the United States. Their confidence was apparently deserved. They ended their first year with two best-in-show medals and a pile of gold medals in tow – and orders began to pile up.
Old-fashioned farming techniques
At Bondolio, much of the work in the grove is done by hand. The Bonds believe proper spacing and pruning are key to preventing pests and disease. The trees were planted 25 feet apart, and Malcolm carefully hand-prunes each one to encourage good airflow and help keep fruit flies at bay.
Harvest is done by hand, too. The Bonds determine the right time to pick by carefully monitoring the color of the fruit. When the olives shift from chartreuse to a softer green with hints of rose, purple and black, it’s time to harvest. A crew of about 60 people handpicks the fruit, which heads straight to the on-site mill.
The Bonds take pride in getting their olives from tree to mill in about 90 minutes. As Karen explains, “It’s fruit, and so it begins to oxidize, and that reduces the quality of the oil. The quicker you get it to the mill, the better your olive oil.”
Magic in the mill
While Bondolio proudly employs old-fashioned farming techniques, their immaculate white mill is decidedly more high-tech, featuring specialized equipment imported from Italy. The process of olive oil production starts in the hammer mill, where the olives are pressed through tiny holes to create a paste of olive meat, pits and oil. The paste is then kneaded at a cold-press temperature of 75° to 80°F, helping develop the oil’s aroma and flavor before it moves to the decanter.
Essentially a centrifuge, the decanter separates the oil from the pits and olive meat. The oil is then filtered through a special fabric to remove microscopic particles before a second, final decanting removes any remaining impurities. The finished oil is then bottled and ready to enjoy!
Unlike wine, olive oil does not improve with age. Karen encourages people to use olive oil quickly to enjoy peak flavor and freshness.
Tastings and tours
The Bond family invites guests to visit their Winters estate for olive oil tastings and farm tours. Stroll through the olive grove and explore their immaculate mill. Then, sample their stunning lineup of certified organic extra virgin olive oils and imported Balsamic vinegars. Each tasting includes Bondolio’s organic estate blend extra virgin olive oil, olio nuovo extra virgin olive oil, and a rotating assortment of co-milled oils at their Yolo County tasting room. Groups of ten or more are even invited to enjoy authentic wood-fired pizza on Bondolio’s covered outdoor patio.
Tastings and tours are offered by reservation only. Bondolio kindly requests that reservations be made a month in advance.
Annual Olio Nuovo Celebration – tasting right on the farm
On the second Sunday in December, Bondolio hosts their annual Olio Nuovo Celebration in their olive groves in Winters, California. Guests are invited to the farm to enjoy complimentary fresh olive oil tastings and wood-fired pizza. Local makers offer fabulous food items and unique gifts and are happy to help guests curate the perfect holiday gifts.
Taste the Bondolio difference
Bondolio’s award-winning ultra-premium extra virgin olive oils are found at some of California’s most lauded restaurants and retailers, including Chez Panisse and Oakville Grocery.
If you can’t make it to Winters, look for Bondolio olive oils at these restaurants and retailers or shop online!
Bondolio Farms
Winters, California
Call 916-715-9007 or email in advance for reservation