4 Surprising Similarities Between Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Wine

It can be pretty jarring to even think how olive oil can be remotely similar. Still, there are definitely a lot of elements and qualities that they share before they ever make it to your cupboard and dinner table.

It is a given that they’re often incorporated into different dishes to bring out the richness of the meal’s main components, but there are a few more similarities than just that. Here are a few surprising tidbits about how olive oil and wine are alike.

Similarities Between Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Wine

Below we discuss four similarities between extra virgin olive oil and wine that you might not expect.

1. Origin

Although olive oil and wine aren’t from the same fruit, they’re near each other’s families. Grapes are classified as berries, while olives are referred to as stone fruits due to their seed, much like other stone fruits like mangos. However, there is some gray area about some berries being stone fruits due to the seeds some may bear, and grapes are no exception.

When we discuss the place of origin, it can be pretty varied. Italy is a special mention when it comes to growing both grapes and olives, but we do have to remember that there’s a difference between refined olive oil and heavily processed olive oil. They can be the difference between a great-tasting meal or a bland dish.

2. Creation

Olives go through harvesting and crushing before they become what we know as olive oil, and it’s roughly the same for when grapes are collected, juiced, and bottled up before being sold to the market as wine. They can often be harvested in the same area as olive trees help protect the grapevines that procure this berry.

It’s quite interesting that they interchange in the times harvested, though. Grapes are mature and are harvested during the colder months of the year, while olives are harvested when it’s warmer. Fruit growers and manufacturers certainly have their hands full throughout these different months to deliver these delectables.

3. Testing

An olive oil sommelier is entirely different from a wine sommelier, but they’re the same in the textbook description of testing a particular product and categorizing them before entering the market. Extra virgin olive oil is considered to be premium and must have a certain quality to be categorized as such.

Olive oil needs to pass both taste testing and chemistry analysis to get the label. Wine also undergoes some rigorous taste testing as the look and smell are scrutinized as well. It is important to note that wine does taste better the more it ages, much unlike olive oil.

4. Quality

So, how can you distinguish excellent olive oil from lousy olive oil? Much like wine, the balance between fruitiness and bitterness is one way to determine its quality. You don’t want the fruits to be overripe or underripe when harvested and crushed, as they can reflect in the poor flavor of the oil or wine.

The change in quality may also be due to a sudden change in the climate. Any dramatic differences can actively affect the end quality and flavor. This can be somewhat harder as no one has control over the weather.

Conclusion

To sum it up, extra virgin olive oil and wine have a lot of similarities when it comes to the process of making and testing them. However, they’re both entirely different products that fulfill different purposes in the kitchen. It’s certain that they both contribute to a good hearty meal, though.

Want to buy extra virgin olive oil online? The Olive Bar in Downtown Campbell, CA, provides an array of fine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, coconut oil, and more. Place an order today!

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