Pairing Wine with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In honor of California Wine Month, we’re pairing up the two things we know best: olive oil and wine. It’s typical to pair a wine that compliments the primary or dominant flavors of a dish. California olive oil is boldly flavored and can, in fact, be the star of the plate, even more so than say, the cut of beef or piece of seafood. We’ve chosen our favorite olive oils and paired them with popular styles of California wine.

Buttery olive oil & classic California Chardonnay

A delicately flavored, buttery olive oil, like We Olive’s Arbosana EVOO is the perfect fit for a classic California Chardonnay with creamy, buttery notes from oak aging.

Grassy olive oil & Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc often exhibits grassy, vegetal notes that we also see in medium to robust olive oils, like We Olive’s Koroneiki EVOO.

Fruity olive oil & Viognier

Viognier has a variety of fruit flavors from tropical to stone fruit which pair beautifully with an olive oil with strong tropical fruit notes, like Fandango’s Fiesta EVOO.

Peppery olive oil & Syrah or Zinfandel

Black pepper and spice are a classic Syrah characteristic, so if you want to really up the pepper level, pair a bold, peppery oil, like We Olive’s Mission Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Syrah. If you want to tone down the pepper a bit, try a Zinfandel, which tends to have peppery notes balanced with ripe, jammy fruit.

Green, medium pungency olive oil & Cabernet Franc (or Cabernet Sauvignon)

Cabernet Franc has distinctive green vegetable notes, specifically bell pepper. We think Calivirgin’s EVOO with its green, buttery flavor and subtle pungency are a perfect pair. If you’re not a Cab Franc fan, you can find some of those bell pepper notes in Cabernet Sauvignon as well.

Light pungency olive oil & Merlot

Who cares what Sideways said about Merlot?! Its silky smooth qualities and dark fruit make it a fantastic, every day drinker. We think it’s a sure fit for We Olive’s Arbequina, a smooth, lightly pungent olive oil that’s perfect for everyday use.