Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oils,
Farm 2Table & Direct from Italy
Extra virgin olive oil’s health benefits should attract more attention, as it is an ideal fat to be used in all cooking applications.
Our Newest Oil
Superior Quality Direct from Italy
Every year, Extra Virgin Olio constantly looks for fine, artisanal producers of extra virgin olive oils throughout Italy! There are literally hundreds of producers in Italy alone and so we have to narrow our search using certain parameters.
We not only pay attention to Award Winners but we are also looking for different cultivars (over 600 in Italy) to experience their different taste profiles.
Shop New Arrivals"Olives are like people: each varietal has its own personality, each olive its own way of expressing itself, each harvest year its own characteristics.
And then there is the territory, the harvesting, the way the olives are pressed….No olive oil is the same as the next. We work to exalt every small aspect of olive oil production because from these arise great differences, qualities to explore a little at a time, to get to know….like people."
— Antoninio Mennella, Madonna dell' Olivo
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Our Story
It's a simple and romantic one. Boy meets girl, they fall in love and elope to Florence, Italy (the romantic capitol of the country). Johnny Madge, owner of a wine/olive oil bar entertains them and gives them a "Tasting". They all love, ultra fine, extra virgin olive oils. So, they devise a plan to bring these oils to America.
About Us Learn About the Health BenefitsFrequently Asked Questions
What is Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
Extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality and also the most expensive olive oil available. It is estimated that only 10% of the world’s production fits in this category. The oil should be free of defects, and be made from fresh olives and milled in the shortest number of hours after picking. The free fatty acid content can be no greater than 0.8%. This category is known to have the highest levels of polyphenols and antioxidants.
Why Italian Olive Oil?
Johnny Madge, our taster, international judge and olive oil sommelier, has lived in Italy over 39 years. Italy has over 600 species (cultivars) of olives and over the next few years we will get to know many of these: literally hundreds of different scents and flavors, just as with wine, to enjoy and experiment with.
Italy today, despite the issues of fraudulent oils is still the source of the worlds premier fine, Extra Virgin Olive Oils as was evident by the country's reaping the greatest number of awards throughout the world and recently here during the latest NEW YORK INTERNATIONALS OLIVE OIL COMPETITION in May 2021.
Why Buy from Madge and Louie's?
At Extra Virgin Olio by Madge & Louie’s, you can be assured of the freshest and finest Italian 100% pure Extra Virgin Olive Oils, often times international award winners and strictly “the real thing”! We have cultivated relationships with our artisanal producers which allow us to ensure our consumers that their olives are picked and milled into oil within hours, packed in dark glass (often times with inert gas, argon or nitrogen to avoid oxidation). Nearly every person who has been on one of Johnny Madge’s Olive Oil Tour has asked for availability of the oils sampled to be sent back to the U.S. Now, Johnny has chosen his favorite oils and Extra Virgin Olio can deliver them to your door.
What Does "Cold-Pressed" Mean?
"Cold Pressed” does not exist! In the modern mill the olive paste will get warm, and in fact may reach a temperature around 86 degrees Fahrenheit. This is an absolute necessity because the biochemical reactions taking place produces enzymes that release the polyphenols and antioxidants we are all looking for in our extra virgin olive oil. This process is called “malaxation”, and in the mill it is a process, which is controlled by the producer using sophisticated equipment to ensure proper temperatures are maintained.
What are the Classifications of Olive Oil?
"Olive oil can be divided into two groups: natural virgin olive oils and refined olive oils industrially manufactured. Extra virgin and virgin olive oils are ready to be consumed without any refining making them stand out among the world’s most edible oils, almost all mass produced vegetable/seed oils require refining during their processing.” From Alexeandra Kicenik Deavarenne, “Olive Oil-A field Guide”
Natural Virgin Olive Oil: Oil obtained from the olive fruit by mechanical means, not from solvents.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Virgin olive oil, free from defects and whose free fatty acid, often times expressed as oleic acid, is not more than 0.8%. The highest grade and only 10% of the world’s production.
Virgin Olive Oil: with a FFA of 0.9% to 3.3% with some mild defects.
Lampante: A virgin oil with definite defects and a free fatty acid content of more than 3.3%.
Refined Olive Oil: Olive oil refined with steam, nitrogen and/or solvents, hydrocarbons (i.e. Hexane - a human carcinogen).
Olive oil /Pure olive oil: A blend of refined olive oil and virgin olive oil, (usually less than 10%, to add flavor and color).
Light or extra light olive oil: A higher blend of refined olive oil to virgin olive oil.
Olive Pomace Oil: A category, which constitutes the by-products of olive mills, which consist of pits, skins and pulp. It must be treated with solvents to extract the oil for human consumption. This type of oil has little to no health benefits.
What About Cooking with EVOO
Yes, you can cook with extra virgin olive oil! In fact, our 100% pure extra virgins have a flash point of over 425 degrees F.! When baking, sautéing, or frying, extra virgin olive oils have the ability to bring out and enhance the natural flavors of the foods you’re preparing. The high heat tends to reduce the aromatic qualities of your extra virgins however.