Marqués de Valdueza Olive Oil

If you’re looking for this farm on the map, start way out in western Spain and keep going. It’s a bit west of the historic stone-walled town of Merida, about twenty-five miles east of the Portuguese border.

There are four kinds of olive trees whose fruit is blended to make this olive oil. Hojiblanca and Picual are standard varietals from southern Spain—the former brings a soft, warm, nutty butteriness, while the latter offers hints of artichoke, green asparagus, a bit of earthiness and a touch of black pepper in the finish. Arbequina, another common olive in Spain, adds a round, soft flavor. Most interesting are the Morisca olives, unique to the area, offering a bit of pepper and interesting apricot fruit with a touch of green grass and green tomato. The olives are milled within two hours of being picked—a huge factor in producing a bright, fresh-flavored oil.

Extra virgin olive oil
Hojiblanca, Picual, Arbequina, and Morisca olives
Buttery and silky flavors
Harvested in fall 2022, this oil tastes fresh and lively. It has a nutty almond flavor at the start, which leads into softly savory flavors of green tomatoes and artichokes with a light tingle of pepper.