Does it have olive smell?
Yes!! Olive are very green and peppery. You can compare the smell to fresh cut grass with hints of tomatoes and artichokes. Olives pick the aromas and flavors from the surrounding vegetation. Olives are peppery!! This is why Papa Vince has a mild peppery kick right in the back of your throat.
Does this olive oil have an IOC (international olive oil council) label?
No, we don't have an IOC. Instead, We believe that the quality of our product speaks for itself at first taste. We believe that as long as you have good taste buds, you do not have to be an expert to taste the difference. Papa Vince is literally the juice of the olive. We squeeze/press fresh olives right into each one of our bottles.
Is the container glass or plastic?
It is GLASS!! All Papa Vince products use glass containers. Glass is cleaner than plastic. The nonporous surface of glass doesn't absorb food and germs (and smells). Glass preserves food fresh for a longer time without the need of preservatives and enhancers. Glass is considered food-grade safe.
I can easily see sediment formed at the bottom and side of the bottle. Is this normal?
Yes, it is very normal. Papa Vince is unfiltered which means that we do not use chemical or physical filters to standardize the look of our Papa Vince extra virgin olive oil. This helps us keep a higher level of antioxidants and polyphenols. As you know, the higher the levels of antioxidants and polyphenols, the higher the measure of health the extra virgin olive oil delivers to the body.
Is it cloudy?
Papa Vince extra Virgin Olive Oil is not filtered. It is decanted. After harvesting, we let the oil decant for about 2 months. Therefore, Papa Vince extra Virgin Olive Oil is neither transparent nor cloudy.
How many polyphenols per kilogram does this oil have?
At the time of harvest, Papa Vince extra Virgin Olive Oil level of polyphenols oscillates from 432 mg/kg to 487 mg/kg. Please remember that polyphenols are antioxidants. Therefore, this value will decrease with time. Storing your bottle of Papa Vince's extra Virgin Olive Oil away from heat and light will significantly slow down this natural process.
what is the oleocanthal levels?
At the time of bottling polyphenol level is about 432 mg/kg. This number decreases with light, heat, drastic temperature changes and over time. In other words, this number is not a constant. This is why is never included in the label.
Does your oil contain vitamin C?
Vitamin C is water soluble. Therefore no oil on earth can contain vitamin C.
Will Papa Vince pass the refrigeration test?
Yes, Papa Vince EVOO will solidify completely when placed in the fridge. IMPORTANT NOTE: the volume of the liquid determines the amount of time that liquid will take to solidify. For instance: A table spoon of water in the freezer will solidify in few hours. A gallon of water in the freezer will solidify in few days In the same way: A tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in the fridge will solidify in few hours. A 16.91 fl oz bottle will take 7 days. The Small Papa Vince 3 fl oz bottle takes about 4 days to solidify. The Large Papa Vince 16.91 fl oz bottle takes about 7 days to solidify.
Is it ok to cook with?
Yes, it is ok to cook with it. In fact, you may even notice that your food is lighter, digests easily and tastes 10X better!!
What method does Papa Vince use for extraction of its olives?
We use first cold pressed extraction. Papa Vince FFA is < .26%. FREE FATTY ACID (FFA) Free fatty acid (FFA) speaks to the condition of the fruit (olive) at the time of crush. The lower the FFA the greater the indication of high quality fruit. The standard in the industry is .8%. As you can see, Papa Vince FFA is way better than the standard. In fact, Papa Vince belongs to the Ultra Premium quality with FFA lower than .3%.
How long does the oil keep after opening? How long does it keep before opening?
Papa Vince's extra virgin olive oil shelf life before opening is 4-years when kept in a dark cool place. Papa Vince's extra virgin olive oil shelf life after opening is 1 year when kept in a dark cool place and well closed after every use.
Why is Papa Vince shelf life 4-years?
The shelf life of an olive oil is directly connected to 3 factors:
(1) the Free Fatty Acids (FFA) - the lower the percentage, the longer the shelf life of the olive oil. We boast one of the lowest % of FFA in the industry, FFA<0.26% which you will find on the front label of our bottle.
(2) State of the Art Pressing technology: We press our olives using a WATERLESS 2-phase continual cold extraction method followed by natural decanting. There are only 10 presses like ours in the entire country of Italy. WATERLESS means NO WATER. Most olive presses in Italy use water. When water is used during the pressing process, it washes away a good percentage of the antioxidants in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil significantly reducing its shelf life.
(3) We only press Nocellara del Belice olives which have been proved to have a very long shelf life in comparison with other varieties. These are the just 3 of the main reasons why we boast 4 year shelf life!! My family has been crafting this Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Sicily since 1935. Throughout the years & the generations they have continued handpicking the olives and remained true to the techniques that prove to make the highest quality EVOO. We organize Olive Harvest tours every year. We encourage our customers to come & visit our olive groves and experience it for themselves.
