Marques de Valdueza gave bottles of their olive oil to some of our retail staff to experiment with at home. This is what they discovered:
The oil:
Marqués de Valdueza is an extra virgin olive oil from the Spanish region of Extremadura which is made from the arbequina, picual, hojiblanca and morisca olive varieties. Each of the olives, the way which they are harvested and pressed and other factors contribute to the flavor of the oil. For more details, visit their website. I would personally describe the oil as smooth, well-balanced, full-flavored, fruity and fresh. There is no bitterness to this oil and it leaves just the most minute sense of pepper as an afterthought on the throat. It coats the mouth well, but doesn’t leave an oily feeling on the palate. It has a very pronounced flavor which develops as you sip it. Feel free to visit me at Zingerman’s Deli to taste it with me. I am briefly introducing this oil because it was my homework to experiment with it at home in order to see how it works in different recipes and to get a better idea of its flavor and uses.