Good Things Take Time: Why Premium Olive Oil Isn’t Rushed

Olives ripen under the sun in the lush groves of ValleRuan, showcasing the vibrant bounty of nature.

At ValleRuan Olive Oil, we love a bit of instant gratification as much as the next person – a strong cup of tea, a perfectly timed cream tea (jam first, obviously), or a sunny spell that lasts more than 15 minutes. But when it comes to producing truly great olive oil, patience isn’t just a virtue, it’s essential.

One Harvest, Once a Year

Unlike crops that pop up every few months, olives are a once-a-year affair. Harvest season typically arrives in late autumn, when the olives are just right; full of flavour, not too green, not too ripe. It’s a short window and there are no do-overs. You can’t harvest early and hope for the best, and you certainly can’t pop back ina fortnight to see if they’ve improved.

Everything hinges on timing, weather, and a keen eye (and nose, and taste buds). And once the olives are picked, they need to be pressed as quickly as possible to preserve their flavour and health-giving goodness. It’s a bit like picking strawberries, if strawberries were fussy, high-maintenance, and full of antioxidant-rich oil.

Slow-Grown, Cold-Pressed, Carefully Bottled

Producing premium olive oil isn’t about churning out vast quantities, it’s about getting every detail right. From nurturing the trees all year round to choosing the right moment to harvest, pressing the fruit at low temperatures and bottling with care - the process is slow and deliberate.

And then there’s the waiting. The trees need time to grow. The fruit needs time to ripen. Even the freshly pressed oil needs time to settle before it’s bottled and ready for your kitchen. No shortcuts. No clever tricks. Just old-fashioned patience.

Why There’s Only So Much Olive Oil to Go Round

Because the harvest happens just once a year, what we produce is what we have – no more, no less. Our groves don’t operate on supermarket schedules, and we don’t bulk things out with blends or fillers.

What you get is 100% extra virgin olive oil – pure, fresh, and beautifully limited. That’s why we sometimes sell out. And why, when the new season’s olive oil arrives, it’s worth the wait. So yes, ValleRuan Olive Oil takes its sweet time. But as with all good things, it’s absolutely worth it.

ValleRuan – not your average British drizzle.