Temecula Olive Oil Company is a family-run tasting room, shop, and farm that has been producing award-winning olive oil in the area for over 25 years. There are a few ways to get to know this beloved local gem. The charming olive oil storefront in Old Town Temecula is filled with richly flavored oils, vinegars, and olive-based gift items. They also have a stunning olive tree farm which has been home to farm dinners, food festivals, and is open for tours on alternating Saturdays weather permitting.
Nancy Curry and Catherine Pepe started their farm in 2001 on the land of a former cattle ranch. They dreamed of creating a healthful product for their local community, and focused on producing cold-pressed olive oils from natural farming methods. Nancy and her husband Thom Curry, who started his career as a sommelier and is now the farm’s Master Miller, have since become passionate advocates for the California olive growing community, educating consumers about the lack of transparency in both origin and freshness in imported oils, and the health benefits and importance of supporting locally grown products.
While they were initially focused solely on producing cold-pressed olive oils. Today, today, along with their oils, they also create vinegars from fresh produce, and olive oil-based soaps, bath & body, and laundry products that are all natural and antimicrobial. In the Old Town tasting shop (formerly an old saloon), you’ll also find artisanal, gourmet food items like dried pastas, marinara sauce, olive tapenade, and jars of stuffed olives. The shelves are filled with tempting olive wood kitchen items too, from cutting boards and bowls to rolling pins and honey dippers. In the back of the shop, there is an intimate tasting room in the back where visitors can find their favorite olive oil and vinegar flavors to bring home. Flavors are seasonal, so repeat visitors can often find something new to try with each visit.
At the Olive View Ranch in nearby Aguanga, family-friendly tours of the farm are held every other Saturday, weather permitting. Guests are led through romantic, natural archways created by rows of flourishing olive trees while being introduced to the farm’s natural Kai-Zen farming and regenerative practices. You’ll learn about some of the historic buildings on the farm, like the old ranch saddle shed that has been there since the 1800s and now serves as a wine tasting bar. You’ll also see the cold pressing techniques that Thom introduced to the farm. At the conclusion, there is a guided tasting of olive oils, and guests are free to bring picnic lunches and linger after the tour. The farm offers local wines from nearby De Luz as well as other beverages for purchase.
The Ranch has also hosted a chef lunch series and several popular seasonal events. Outstanding in the Field has held several dinners in the olive grove, where chefs and guests come together from around Southern California for a farm-to-table experience. It has also been home to the Harvest Festival, a food and wine showcase that also attracts foodies from around the state.
Old Town Temecula shop is open daily. Olive View Ranch tours are by appointment. The farm is about a 15 minute drive past wine country off of Highway 79. See The Temecula Olive Oil Company’s website for upcoming dates.
