[Tenuta del Barone di Montemurlo](https://www.oliodelbarone.com/en) — Toscano PGI extra virgin olive oil from Tuscany # Extra virgin olive oil as a gift: what to choose and for which occasions A good extra virgin olive oil is a gift that needs no explanation. The right choice depends on who will receive it and the occasion, not on how much the bottle costs. ## Why olive oil works as a gift Extra virgin olive oil gets used, not stored in a drawer. Whoever receives it will have it on the table within days, and they will notice it: unlike an ornament, it does not simply sit there to be looked at. It is also a gift that tells a story about a place. A bottle with the producer's name, the harvest area and the vintage says more than a generic label, and the person receiving it notices that straight away. ## What to check before choosing Three things matter more than anything else: that it is genuinely extra virgin, not virgin or plain 'olive oil'; that it states a precise origin rather than a generic one; and that the harvest is recent. An oil from the most recent season is always the safest choice for a gift. Packaging comes second. What matters is a dark bottle or a tin, because light damages the oil: an elegant but transparent bottle is a flaw, not a selling point. ## Which oil for which occasion For a Christmas gift, or for someone who cooks every day, a balanced, rounded oil works best, one that suits almost any dish without much thought: our Raccolto, made from olives picked ripe in November, is made for this. For someone who likes bold flavours, a keen cook, or an important dinner, a green, bitter and peppery oil makes a difference that is noticed from the first taste: that is our Luce, made from olives picked early in the season, while still unripe. For a corporate or work gift, choose an oil with a simple story behind it: where it comes from, who makes it, how quickly it travels from the grove to the bottle. These are details that fit on a card or a short note, and they last longer than a logo printed on the label. ## How to present an olive oil gift One well-chosen bottle is worth more than a hamper full of unrelated items. If giving two oils makes sense, it is to show the difference between a bold oil and a rounder one: a gift that lets the receiver compare, not just consume. Anyone buying online should check the harvest date before ordering, not just the best-before date printed on the label. The harvest date tells you how fresh the oil actually is; the best-before date is a legal requirement and does not tell the whole story on its own. ## Our oil, from Tuscany to your door Our olives are grown, picked and milled on a single estate in Montemurlo, between Prato and Pistoia, about half an hour from Florence. This is a 100% Italian extra virgin olive oil: the olives are picked by hand and pressed the same day, 870 metres from the grove. Both oils, Luce and Raccolto, come from the same harvest and are sold directly from our website, with shipping across Italy, the European Union and worldwide: wherever the gift is going, it arrives at the door. ## Frequently asked questions ### What olive oil should I gift to someone who doesn't know much about it A balanced, rounded oil is the safest choice, since it suits most dishes and won't feel too intense to someone unused to a strong extra virgin flavour. Our Raccolto was made for exactly this kind of everyday use. ### Is it better to gift one large bottle or two small ones It depends on how the person will use it. Two smaller bottles, each a different style, let someone compare a milder oil with a bolder one; a single bottle makes more sense if you already know the person's taste. ### Is extra virgin olive oil a good corporate gift Yes, as long as it comes with a clear origin and a simple story: where it was grown, when it was harvested, how it was made. These details carry more weight than the packaging itself. ### How long does a gifted extra virgin olive oil last A fresh extra virgin oil, kept away from light and heat, holds its qualities well for several months after opening, and longer while still sealed. A recent harvest date matters more than the best-before date printed on the label. ## Our oil, from tree to bottle Two 100% Italian extra virgin olive oils from Tuscany, from a single hand-picked harvest, milled the same day three minutes from the grove. Luce is green, bitter and peppery; Raccolto is round, for every day. We ship across Italy, Europe and worldwide. [Luce](https://www.oliodelbarone.com/en/oil/luce) [Raccolto](https://www.oliodelbarone.com/en/oil/raccolto) [The estate journal](https://www.oliodelbarone.com/en/journal) [All oils](https://www.oliodelbarone.com/en)