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Extra Virgin Olive Oil or often reffered to as "EVOO" (EVOO stands for Extra Virgin Olive Oil) is the highest quality olive oil, made from olives that are mechanically pressed without chemical processing.

To be considered “extra virgin,” the oil must:

• Have no defects in flavor or aroma
• Be unrefined and unprocessed
• Meet strict standards for freshness, purity, and quality

High-quality EVOO is naturally:

• Fruity
• Peppery
• Slightly bitter (a positive sign of antioxidants)

Not all olive oils are created equal 

Many mass-produced oils are refined or blended, reducing both flavor and health benefits.

Mass-produced olive oils found in grocery stores have been found to be :

• Blended with older or lower-quality oils
• Refined or deodorized to remove defects
• Made from overripe or damaged olives
• Processed with heat or filtration methods that strip away flavor and nutrients

In some cases, mass-produced olive oils may still be labeled “extra virgin” despite losing the characteristics that define true EVOO.

True, High Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) sold at Redstone Olive Oil 

• Comes from properly harvested olives at peak ripeness
• Is processed quickly to preserve quality
• Retains natural antioxidants and polyphenols
• Delivers bold, complex flavor and real health benefits

Fresh, high-quality EVOO should taste vibrant and alive, not flat, greasy, or flavorless.

Yes. Extra virgin olive oil is less processed and retains more antioxidants and healthy fats (like monounsaturated fats). Regular olive oil is more refined and loses some of those beneficial compounds.

You can absolutely cook with it. Despite the myth, EVOO is fairly stable at typical cooking temperatures. It has a moderate smoke point and maintains many of its health properties during sautéing and roasting.

However, there are a few key reasons why some people believe you should not cook with olive oil. This misconception often comes from experiences with lower-quality oils that break down quickly under heat, smoke at lower temperatures, and produce an unpleasant or burnt flavor.

Understanding the difference between high-quality extra virgin olive oil and lower-grade oils makes all the difference. With the right oil and proper use, olive oil performs beautifully in the kitchen and enhances both flavor and overall cooking experience.

Extra virgin olive oil is excellent for:

• Sautéing
• Roasting
• Frying
• Baking
• Finishing dishes

High-quality EVOO has a smoke point around 375 to 400°F, making it suitable for most everyday cooking methods.

What type of olive oil should I use for cooking?

If you are using an unflavored extra virgin olive oil, we recommend choosing mild to medium intensity oils for most cooking applications, especially when you want a more neutral, balanced flavor.

These oils:

• Allow your ingredients to shine
• Provide a smooth, well-rounded taste
• Perform consistently across a variety of cooking methods

You can cook with robust olive oils as well. However, many robust oils are higher in polyphenols, which contribute to their bold, peppery flavor and health benefits.

When heat is applied:

• Some of these compounds are naturally reduced
• The intensity of the oil becomes more mild

Because of this, many people prefer to reserve robust oils for:

• Finishing dishes
• Bread dipping
• Drizzling over salads

Keep it in a cool, dark place away from heat and light. Exposure to air, light, and heat can degrade it and reduce both flavor and nutritional value.

Olive oil is not just any oil. It is fresh-pressed fruit juice from olives, which means it is a perishable product.

Unlike many pantry staples, olive oil does not improve with age. Its flavor, aroma, and health benefits naturally decline over time, especially once opened.

For the best experience:

• We recommend using your olive oil within 4 months of opening
• And within 12 months of the quality control date on the bottle ( this can be found on the back label of each Redstone Olive Oil bottle) 

Best storage practices

To preserve quality:

• Store in a cool, dark place
• Keep bottles tightly sealed
• Avoid exposure to heat, light, and air

Refrigeration is optional. Olive oil may solidify in cold temperatures, which is completely normal. Simply return it to room temperature before using.

How much should you buy?

We recommend purchasing no more than a 6-month supply of olive oil at a time.

This can vary depending on how often you cook and use olive oil in your daily routine. The goal is to keep your oil in a fresh rotation rather than storing it long-term..

Fresh olive oil should taste vibrant and flavorful. Keeping your olive oil in rotation ensures you are always enjoying it at its best.

• Look for:

  • “Extra virgin” labeling

  • Harvest date (fresher is better)

  • Dark glass bottles or tins

  • Certifications or origin labeling (like single-country or estate-produced oils)

• Redstone is UP Standard Certified

Yes - the butter flavor is derived from a plant based natural essential oil.  Proprietary blend of botanical herbs. 

All our flavored oils are soy free and this is listed in our allergen statement.  Our Olive Oils are Vegan friendly.

Allergen Statement

Refined-A Olive Oil

Pressing oil from overripe, insect infested or broken olives will yield an inedible oil that has been used historically for burning in lamps and graded “Lampante” Because overripe olives have higher oil content than ripe olives modern refining methods have been developed for reclaiming the oil for food purposes.

Overripe Olives

The resulting product is an odorless, tasteless, colorless fat known in the olive oil trade as Refined-A olive oil. All of the flavor and essential polyphenols associated with real or virgin olive oil have been stripped away, but by adding as little as 3% virgin olive oil refiners are legally permitted to sell and market the resulting mixture as 100 % Pure Olive Oil and Light or “Lite” olive oil. Most mixtures contain and 90% Refined-A and 10% virgin. The caloric content is the same for all grades of olive oil.

Loading pomace for re-pressing and refining

Refined-B Olive Oil

Olive pits and skins are what remain after the virgin olive oil has been removed. It is possible to chemically extract another three to four percent of oil by applying extreme heat, solvent (hexane), and sodium hydroxide. Simply bleach, winterize, and deodorize. If all of the harmful chemicals are recaptured the resulting odorless, tasteless, fat will not poison you, but it is against the law to call this empty fat “Olive Oil.” Many people who buy refined pomace olive oil mixed with a little real olive oil mistakenly believe they are getting a bargain, but they are losing the opportunity to enjoy the flavor and health benefits of genuine olive oil.

Yes - below is the conversion chart. Note that solid fats act different than liquid fats. When substituting liquid for liquid (such as vegetable oil) the results are the same. When substituting solid to liquid there may be a change in texture and crispiness. 

Ultra Premium (UP) is a category of olive oil, developed and administered as a trademark by Veronica Foods Company, to distinguish the highest quality olive oils in the world. The UP standard is used by Veronica Foods and its partners to identify olive oils that meet the UP standards.

Ultra Premium Olive Oil exceeds world standards for olive oil quality. It is the freshest and finest olive oil in the world today.

This chart shows the level of quality for UP

The United States Government makes no comment and takes no position regarding the relative benefits or harm that organic products may possess. The official U.S. government position is that the primary purpose of Organic Certification is its use a marketing tool by producers and sellers.

Traditional cultivation methods remain the same for growers because olive trees, by their nature, are dry cultivated without artificial fertilizers and amendments. Without irrigation modern chemically enhanced cultivation practices cannot be used. Most small farmers and producers can not afford to pay for organic certification and at the same time produce high quality olive oil.

To offset the cost, fruit may be left to ripen past its peak in order to increase yield, but this practice does not produce the best tasting or most nutritionally beneficial oil.

It is certainly possible and indeed desirable to produce certified organic olive oil that is at once high quality and reasonably priced, but marketing agencies are of the opinion that consumers of organic olive oil choose organic for considerations other than taste so most producers are not under the same pressure they might otherwise be in a more epicurean or taste driven market.

Our growers use every caution possible to produce a clean, quality Olive Oil.  The Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegars come to us in a sealed container, and is re-bottled in our retail stores.  Hence, our retail stores are not "certified organic" and cannot put a seal on our bottles.

We operate on a two-hemisphere sourcing model, allowing us to offer fresh olive oil year-round.

Because olive oil is harvested seasonally, we rotate between:

• Northern Hemisphere harvests (Nov–Jan Harvest) countrys such as Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, France, Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, United States (California), Croatia,etc. 

Southern Hemisphere harvests (Apr–Jul Harvest) countrys such as Chile, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Peru, Uruguay,etc.

This ensures you’re always getting the most recent harvest. Never old or sitting olive oil.

Full transparency For Every Bottle

Every Redstone Extra Virgin Olive Oil is fully traceable and rigorously tested for quality. All of our EVOOs are Ultra Premium (UP) Certified, ensuring they meet the highest standards for freshness, purity, and performance. (Read more about our UP Certification here.)

In addition to our Ultra Premium Certification, each bottle includes a detailed tag/label on the back of the bottle with key information such as:

• The type of olive (cultivar) used
• The country of origin
• The harvest date

You can also find this information, along with flavor notes and biopolyphenol content, displayed in-store and on each product page online.

Each oil is named after the specific olive variety it comes from, so you know exactly what you’re tasting, just like fine wine.

Olive oil may sometimes appear cloudy, thick, or even solidified, and there are a few different reasons why this can happen. In many cases, this is a completely natural reaction to temperature. However, in certain situations, it can also indicate that the oil has aged or degraded.

Understanding the difference can help you determine whether your olive oil is still perfectly good to use or if it is time to replace it.

Olive oil naturally begins to cloud or solidify around 50°F or below.

You may notice:

• Cloudiness
• A thicker texture
• Small white particles or crystals

This is a natural reaction to cold temperatures and does not affect quality. Simply return the oil to room temperature and it will become clear and fluid again.

If your olive oil has not exposed to temperatures below 50°F and you notice:

• Cloudiness
• Floating particles
• Unusual thickening or separation

this may be a sign that the oil has degraded or gone bad.

How to tell if olive oil has gone bad

Visual changes alone are not always enough. If these signs are paired with:

• A dull smell
• A rancid or off odor

it is best to dispose of the oil and replace it.

We recommend discarding any Redstone olive oil that is 2 years past the bottle date, which can be found on the back of each bottle on the right side of the label.

Several key factors can impact the quality, flavor, and freshness of olive oil over time. Because olive oil is a fresh, perishable product, how it is stored and handled makes a significant difference.

The four main elements that affect olive oil quality are:

Time

Olive oil is best enjoyed fresh. As time passes, its flavor, aroma, and beneficial compounds naturally begin to decline.

This is why we recommend using your olive oil regularly and keeping it in a fresh rotation. (Read more about our recommendations here.)

Light

Exposure to light can break down the natural antioxidants in olive oil, causing it to lose both flavor and nutritional value.

Store your oil away from direct sunlight or bright kitchen lighting. (Read more about our recommendations here.)

 Heat

Olive oil is sensitive to temperature. Excessive heat can alter its flavor and accelerate the breakdown of its natural compounds.

The ideal storage temperature is between 60 to 72°F.

Oxygen

When olive oil is exposed to air, it begins to oxidize. This process leads to off flavors and reduces overall quality.

If you are using olive oil daily, we recommend using one of our pour spouts that can be placed directly on the bottle to help limit the amount of oxygen exposure.

If you use olive oil more sparingly or for occasional use, always keep your bottle tightly sealed when not in use.

To maintain the best flavor and quality, store your olive oil in a cool, dark place with minimal air exposure and use it while it is fresh.

Our olive oils are not filtered. Instead, we use a natural process called racking, where the oil is stored in stainless steel tanks and allowed to settle over time. During this process, any remaining olive particles naturally sink to the bottom.

Because of this, you may notice that some oils appear slightly cloudy. This is completely normal and is a sign of minimal processing and freshness, not a defect.

Why we do not filter our olive oil

Filtering removes small particles from the oil to create a perfectly clear appearance. While this can improve visual clarity, it can also remove some of the natural components that contribute to the oil’s character.

By allowing the oil to settle naturally instead of aggressively filtering it, we preserve:

• More of the oil’s natural flavor
• Its authentic texture
• Its fresh, minimally processed quality

What is the base oil used in your infused varieties?

All of our infused olive oils are made using a high-quality, mild extra virgin olive oil from the most recent harvest.

This base oil is intentionally chosen to:

• Provide a clean, balanced foundation
• Allow the infused flavors to shine
• Maintain the same high-quality standards as our single-origin EVOOs

Because olive oil is seasonal, our base oil is updated approximately every 6 months as harvests rotate between hemispheres. (read more on harvests here)

Our oils are minimally processed, never over-filtered, and always made from fresh, high-quality extra virgin olive oil, so you experience the true flavor and quality in every bottle.

High-quality extra virgin olive oil is known for its nutritional benefits and natural compounds that support overall wellness.

Because olive oil is made from fresh olives, it contains:

• Healthy monounsaturated fats
• Polyphenols (natural antioxidants)
• Anti-inflammatory compounds

Potential benefits of regular use

Incorporating high-quality EVOO into your daily routine may help support:

• Heart health
• Reduced inflammation
• Healthy cholesterol levels
• Skin and hair health

These benefits are most commonly associated with fresh, high-quality extra virgin olive oil, especially those with higher polyphenol content.

Why quality matters

Not all olive oils offer the same benefits.

Lower-quality and/or highly processed oils may:

• Contain fewer antioxidants
• Be older or less fresh
• Lose beneficial compounds over time

Fresh extra virgin olive oil retains more of the natural components that contribute to both flavor and wellness benefits.

How to incorporate olive oil daily

Many people choose to enjoy 1 to 2 tablespoons per day as part of a balanced diet.

You can use olive oil in:

• Cooking
• Salad dressings
• Drizzling over finished dishes
• Bread dipping

Some people also choose to take it on its own as part of their daily routine.

Using fresh, high-quality extra virgin olive oil regularly is a simple way to add both flavor and beneficial nutrients to your everyday meals.

A DAG score is a measure of olive oil freshness and quality. It takes multiple factors into account to give an overall score out of 100.

Think of it like a grade on a test. The higher the score, the fresher and higher quality the olive oil.

What does a DAG score measure?

A DAG score reflects several important components of olive oil quality, including:

• Polyphenol levels
• Oleic acid content
• Free fatty acids (FFA)
• Peroxide levels
• Other indicators of freshness and oxidation

These factors work together to determine how well the oil has been:

• Harvested
• Processed
• Stored

Why does it matter?

DAG scores are one of the best indicators of whether an olive oil is:

• Fresh
• Properly handled
• High quality

Lower scores can indicate:

• Aging oil
• Oxidation
• Reduced flavor and health benefits

Higher scores indicate:

• Greater freshness
• Better flavor
• Higher nutritional value

Redstone Olive Oil Standards

To remain Ultra Premium (UP) Certified, we only carry extra virgin olive oils with a DAG score of 85 or higher.

This ensures that every oil we offer meets strict standards for:

• Freshness
• Quality
• Performance

(read more on UP certification here)

A higher DAG score means a fresher, higher-quality olive oil you can taste and trust.

Yes. All of our olive oils are made with clean, high-quality ingredients and are suitable for a variety of dietary needs.

Our olive oils are:

• Gluten-free 
• Dairy-free 
• Soy-free 
• Vegan-friendly
• Kosher (Pareve) certified 

Certificates 

Allergen Statement

Allergen Checklist

Kosher Certificate

Even our flavored oils are made without common allergens.

For example, our butter olive oil is made using plant-based natural extracts, not dairy, making it completely dairy-free and vegan-friendly.

Additional dietary considerations

Some of our oils, such as garlic-infused varieties, use distilled essential oils rather than whole ingredients. This allows many customers following specific diets, including low FODMAP, to still enjoy the flavor.

Our olive oils are crafted to be clean, inclusive, and accessible, so you can enjoy them with confidence no matter your dietary preferences.

Yes, all our Olive Oils are made only from oils extracted during the first press; i.e.; the first time the olives are crushed and malaxed.

Chronologically speaking, the "earliest" crush / press of the season might also be mis-used in some context as first pressed. "Early harvest" extra virgin olive oils often make the finest EVOOs, when the olives are not yet fully ripened. The early harvest olives tend to be very bitter and pungent which is a positive thing for an EVOO. Later in the season, sometimes  just a couple days or weeks later, the ripened olives produce much more olive oil, but it is not generally as good from a health benefit standpoint.      

The term cold pressed is a bit of a "misnomer" as there is nothing "cold" about it. Temperatures under 81 degrees (fahrenheit) are considered "cold" in the case of olive oil production.  The processors of fine extra virgin olive oils would never add heat to the process to get more oil from the olives as many large olive oil conglomerates do.  Heat damages the oil and its healthy properties by reducing anti oxidants (speeding oxidation) which results in shorter shelf life for the oils. Mass produced olive oil products often blend lesser or aging oils into their products.

It is very hard to compare the mass produced international brands with truly fresh olive oil products as they are not similar in how they are produced.

DAG Score: the higher the better; This is a composite score that takes many factors such as Polyphenols, Oleic Acid, Free Fatty Acid (FFA), Pyropheophytins (PPP), Peroxide, among other quality determining factors into account creating essentially a grade out of 100.  Think of it as a percentage on a test.  (measured x/100)  For us to remain UP Certified, we only carry Extra Virgin Olive Oil with DAGs≥85.

All olive oil starts with fruit on a tree. What happens after the fruit and the tree part company makes all the difference to the oil produced. Later viewing of the other buttons on this site will inform you of the many factors influencing the end products of the olive fruit..

According to the United States Department of Agriculture the only acceptable grade of olive oil is Virgin Olive Oil. The Food and Drug Administration definition is,” Olive oil is the edible oil expressed from the sound, mature fruit of the olive tree." No recognition is given to refined or extracted oil.

The two ways to assess virgin olive, chemical and organoleptic analysis, are equally important even though one is totally objective and the other is totally subjective.

Laboratory analysis can tell us about the levels of beneficial polyphenols and oleic acid, and the products of deterioration free fatty acids and peroxide. But it can not tell us anything about the pleasure to be derived from using fresh, well made oil.

Organoleptic analysis happens in the nose and mouth of the taster, either professional or you as the end user. Aesthetic notes of fruity, nutty, fresh grassy, peppery, and many, many others are there in varying balance that give complexity to the oil and appeal in different ways to each person. Laboratory analysis can track down the chemical nature of those flavors and aromas, but the human sensory system is still the best organoleptic analysis device. As we will recommend many times in this website, please give yourself the opportunity to taste and assess many olive oils to educate your palate and help you find the oil that gives you the most satisfaction.

Most grading is based on the method of production (explained at the HOW button) and designations are a marketing tool used by producers. The terms can be confusing and sometimes intentionally misleading. Once again it is important to know as much as possible about what you choose.

Extra-virgin olive oil comes from virgin oil production only, contains no more than 0.8% acidity, and is judged to have a superior taste. Extra Virgin olive oil accounts for less than 10% of oil in many producing countries.

Virgin olive oil is produced by the use of physical means and no chemical treatment. , has an acidity less than 2%, and is judged to have a good taste. Over 50% of the oil produced in the Mediterranean area is of such poor quality that it must be refined to produce an edible product.

After these two grades come the blends of oil that are mainly (up to 90%) refined oil and virgin Olive oil.

Pure olive oil. Oils labeled as Pure olive oil or Olive oil are usually a blend of refined and virgin production oil. Over 50% of the oil produced in the Mediterranean area is of such poor quality that it must be refined to produce an edible product. No solvents used used to extract the oil but it has been refined with the use of charcoal and other chemical and physical filters

Olive oil is a blend of virgin and refined production oil, of no more than 1.5% acidity, and lacks a strong flavor.

Olive-pomace oil is refined pomace olive production oil possibly blended with some virgin production oil. It is fit for consumption, but may not be described simply as olive oil. Olive-pomace oil is rarely sold at retail; it is often used for certain kinds of cooking in restaurants.

Refined olive oil is the olive oil obtained from virgin olive oils by refining methods which do not lead to alterations in the initial glyceridic structure. It has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.3 grams per 100 grams (0.3%) and its other characteristics correspond to those fixed for this category in this standard. This is obtained by refining virgin olive oils which have a high acidity level and/or organoleptic defects which are eliminated after refining. Over 50% of the oil produced in the Mediterranean area is of such poor quality that it must be refined to produce an edible product. Note that no solvents have been used to extract the oil but it has been refined with the use of charcoal and other chemical and physical filters. An obsolete equivalent is "pure olive oil"

Pomace olive oil is extracted from the pomace using chemical solvents, mostly hexane, and by heat. Sometimes blended with some virgin production oil. It is fit for consumption, but may not be described simply as olive oil. Olive-pomace oil is rarely sold at retail; it is often used for certain kinds of cooking in restaurants.

Lampante oil is not suitable as food because it is made usually from olives that are spoiled or insect infested.; the term lampante comes from olive oil's long-standing use in oil-burning lamps. Lampante oil is mostly used in the industrial market. It must be chemically refined before it can be consumed. The resulting oil, after refining, is known as A-Refined, or Refined-A olive oil. It is not, strictly speaking, "olive oil." It is used as the primary ingredient for a new product that is sold as "Pure Olive Oil.”.

As the United States is not a member, the IOOC retail grades have no legal meaning in that country; terms such as "extra virgin" may be used without legal restrictions.

Since 1948 the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)has listed four grades of olive oil based on acidity, absence of defects, odor and flavor:^[20]

U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy possesses a free fatty acid content of not more than 1.4% and is "free from defects";

U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice possesses a free fatty acid content of not more than 2.5% and is "reasonably free from defects";

U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard possesses a free fatty acid content of not more than 3.0% and is "fairly free from defects";

U.S. Grade D or U.S. Substandard possesses a free fatty acid content greater than 3.0% and "fails to meet the requirements of U.S. Grade C".

With these diverse labeling styles and the small amount of information they provide, the best indicator of a good olive oil is obtained by tasting while keeping in mind the freshness and beneficial nutritional and antioxidant levels.

The base oil is always a mild EVOO from the most current harvest date. The base oil changes every 6 months just like our EVOO change. EVOO is harvested once in the Northern Hemisphere (November through January) and once in the Southern Hemisphere (April through July) thoughout the world. The rotation is done usually when the bulk of the oils change hemispheres. 

Fresh Olive Oils are (typically) harvested once time per year in each hemisphere, (Example: northern Hemisphere oils, from Calif., Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Turkey, etc., are harvested in November and usually arrive in our stores from February to mid March.

Olive Oils from the Southern Hemisphere, including those from Australia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, etc. are (typically) harvested in May and arrive in our stores in July and August.

Additional oils from each season are ordered or re-stocked as supply and demand allow.  We are careful not to "over-buy" and our Olive Oils are not mass produced.

Yes - All our Olive Oils are gluten and dairy free. 

Allergen Checklist

Allergen Statement

Our garlic olive oil, and several of our other oils such as the Tuscan Herb use essential oil of garlic which is distilled.

What's in your Olive Oil