By Barbara Pape
PassPort to San Diego
Owners Rick and Jennifer Buffington are at it again this year with a new harvest of their 100% estate grown, extra virgin, Manzanillo Olive Oil.
“A little spicy on the palate with a nice peppery finish” is how most would describe this 100% pure oil that is grown, milled, filtered, and bottled all in-house at their charming, family-owned winery on the De Portola Wine Trail in Temecula, Calif.
Each year’s olive harvest varies in quantity, just like the grapes they create their award-winning, Italian varietals from. This year there was an abundance of grapes for some superb wines, but the olive trees were a bit more “reluctant” in producing their fruit. The quantity, however, has nothing to do with quality when it comes to olive oil, so although fewer bottles will be available for sale, the crisp, silky, 100% pure flavor is spot on in this recent 2020 harvest. It is 2020 after all, of course the trees were stingy!
Whether you enjoy it drizzled over grilled vegetables, mixed into the freshest salad dressing you can toss, or simply served straight up to dip some bread in, you’ll taste the fruits of wine country in every bite.
With a retail price of only $20 per 500ml bottle, this delicacy makes a creative corporate or personal gift for any foodie on your list. To place your orders for the holidays, call (951) 491-0825 and mention PassPort to San Diego’s 25 percent off Cougar’s Pure Olive Oil here or stop by the winery to pick a bottle up for yourself.
Cougar Vineyard & Winery
39870 DePortola Road (on the De Portola Wine Trail)
Temecula, CA 92592
(951) 491-0825
Owners: Rick and Jennifer Buffington