Bariani Olive Oil has been our favorite from the very beginning. When we started doing farmers markets in February of 2002, it was already the olive oil we trusted and used at home. The story goes back even further. Kenny was introduced to Bariani in the late 1990s by one of his fishing boat captains, Michael Patatucci, who ran a small family operation. Those kinds of introductions tend to matter, especially in food, and this one has held up for decades.
Bariani is a family owned producer with roots in Northern Italy and olive orchards in California. Their approach has remained steady over time: careful growing, attentive harvesting, cold extraction, and bottling without shortcuts. We have always valued domestic olive oil producers who maintain direct control from tree to bottle, because that level of transparency is difficult to guarantee with imported or mass market oils that move through long and opaque supply chains.
This matters because olive oil is widely recognized as the most adulterated food in the world. Mislabeling, blending with refined oils, and oxidation during transport remain persistent issues. Choosing a producer that publishes harvest information, tests their oil, and stands behind their methods is one of the simplest ways to avoid those pitfalls.
We just received a fresh shipment from the most recent fall 2025 harvest, and both oils we carry will be available at market. Bariani’s early harvest extra virgin olive oil is pressed from green olives picked earlier in the season, resulting in a robust, grassy oil with an artichoke finish. Bariani’s fall extra virgin, made from olives harvested later in the season, has a smoother, more versatile profile that is well suited to everyday cooking or dressing salads. A recent published polyphenol analysis for Bariani extra virgin olive oil showed 643 mg/kg, a level that places it firmly in the high polyphenol range for extra virgin olive oil. Polyphenols contribute to both flavor and stability, and are responsible for the subtle bitterness and gentle peppery finish that signal freshness and quality in a well made olive oil. This is especially notable given that early harvest oils, cold pressed from green olives, naturally contain even higher polyphenol levels, which contributes to their more robust flavor and peppery finish.
We use these oils the way good olive oil is meant to be used. Finished over vegetables or fish, whisked into simple dressings, or used as a dipping oil for good bread with a pinch of salt. When olive oil is this fresh and clean, it does not need embellishment.
Because properly produced extra virgin olive oil has a best by date that extends at least one year beyond bottling, this is a practical moment to think beyond a single bottle. Fresh harvest oil stored well is ideal for quarterly or even yearly kitchen use, making it easy to cook well every day without compromise.
Fresh Bariani extra virgin olive oil and early harvest extra virgin olive oil will be available at market this week. We highly recommend placing your order now! If olive oil is a true staple in your kitchen, this is an ideal time to stock up on a harvest you can trust.
Try our recipe for Pecan Basil Pesto
From our table to yours,
Brenna & Kenny
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