Why do some olive oils cost more?
Why is one bottle of olive oil sold for a few euros in a supermarket, while another exceeds €30 for just 500 ml?
At first glance, they all seem to look the same.
Yet, behind an extra virgin olive oil there is sometimes a year of work, a harvest carried out in just a few weeks, rare varieties, naturally low yields, and a terroir that is impossible to replicate.
Just like with a fine wine, a specialty coffee, or a farmhouse cheese, the price of an olive oil often reflects much more than its production cost: it translates a level of high standards.
Understanding what lies behind a bottle also helps to better understand what you are tasting.
Quality starts in the olive grove
The price of an olive oil is first established in the orchards.
Not all olive groves are cultivated with the same objectives.
Some farms prioritize yield above all else. The plantations are very dense, heavily mechanized, and often irrigated to produce more olives and reduce the cost of each liter of oil.
Conversely, other producers prefer a more demanding approach: ancient olive trees, regenerative agriculture, few or no chemical inputs, terrain that limits mechanization, and respect for the natural rhythm of the trees.
These choices produce less… but they preserve more of the fruit and terroir's personality.
An early harvest means… less oil
The harvest period directly influences the yield.
Olives harvested while still green produce oils that are particularly fresh, expressive, and naturally rich in polyphenols.
In return, they contain less oil.
In other words, more olives are needed to produce the same volume.
At Casa Montero y Bianchi, the yield for the 2025 vintage was 9.43%.
This means that about 10 kg of olives were needed to produce 1 liter of oil.
This high standard accounts for a significant part of the price of oils from early harvests.
Discover why polyphenols play an essential role in the quality of an olive oil.
Time is one of the most precious ingredients
An olive is a living fruit.
From the moment it is harvested, it naturally begins to evolve.
The shorter the time between harvest and extraction, the better the aromas and natural compounds are preserved.
This organization requires particularly rigorous logistics.
During the 2025 vintage, some of our plots were extracted just 23 minutes after harvest, in order to preserve the fruit's freshness as much as possible.
This speed represents a cost… but also a genuine choice for quality.
Some varieties are naturally rarer
Not all olive oils come from the same varieties.
Some are grown all over the world.
Others remain intimately linked to a few territories.
The Manzanilla Cacereña, grown mainly in Extremadura, is one of these niche varieties.
It is appreciated for its aromatic balance, its fresh vegetal notes, and its ability to produce elegant and expressive oils.
Its rarity naturally limits the available volumes.
Discover the characteristics of the Manzanilla Cacereña.
An extra virgin oil meets high standards
Not all marketed oils fall into the extra virgin category.
This designation meets strict regulatory criteria:
- exclusively mechanical extraction;
- absence of sensory defects;
- compliant physico-chemical analyses;
- tasting by an accredited panel.
Producing high-quality extra virgin oil requires more rigor at every stage.
Discover how to recognize a good extra virgin olive oil.
Analyses and controls also have a cost
A premium oil is not only distinguished by its taste.
It is often accompanied by analyses carried out by specialized laboratories.
These analyses allow for the measurement of:
- acidity;
- polyphenol content;
- peroxide value;
- oxidation parameters.
They provide transparency for the consumer and allow the producer to objectively verify the quality of their oil.
A PDO represents an additional commitment
A Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) does not only guarantee a geographical origin.
It also imposes:
- precise specifications;
- authorized varieties;
- complete traceability;
- regular checks by independent bodies.
Not all excellent oils are PDO, but when an oil benefits from a designation, it constitutes a valuable benchmark for the consumer.
Discover what a PDO olive oil actually guarantees.
Limited production does not benefit from economies of scale
Large-scale production spreads its costs over millions of bottles.
Conversely, a house that produces limited volumes takes on practically the same technical requirements—harvesting, milling, analysis, packaging, storage—for a much smaller number of bottles.
This niche production allows for careful monitoring of each batch, but it does not benefit from industrial economies of scale.
Packaging protects quality
An olive oil continues to evolve after being bottled.
Light, heat, and air accelerate its oxidation.
This is why demanding producers often choose:
- opaque bottles;
- quality stoppers;
- protective packaging.
These choices represent an additional cost but help preserve the oil's qualities until it is tasted.
Why does premium oil cost more?
| What you are buying | What that implies |
|---|---|
| Early harvest | Lower yield, more aromas |
| Rare variety | Naturally limited volumes |
| Rapid extraction | Demanding organization |
| Regenerative agriculture | More soil-respectful production |
| PDO | Specifications and controls |
| Laboratory analyses | Quality transparency |
| Opaque bottle | Better preservation |
| Limited production | No economies of scale |
A great oil always tells the story of its terroir
The price of a great olive oil does not only pay for a product.
It reflects a territory, a harvest, expertise, and production choices.
Just as a fine wine expresses its vineyard, an extra virgin olive oil expresses its terroir.
In the Sierra de Gata, the centuries-old olive trees, the schistose soils, the temperature variations, and the patient work of the producers give birth to oils whose personality cannot be reproduced elsewhere.
A more expensive olive oil is not automatically better.
However, when it comes from a rare variety, is harvested early, extracted rapidly, analyzed, produced in limited quantities, and deeply rooted in its terroir, its price often reflects a genuine level of high standards.
Understanding these elements makes it possible to view a bottle of olive oil differently.
Beyond its label, it always tells a story: that of a place, a season, and the women and men who produced it.
Discover our Signature olive oils
At Casa Montero y Bianchi, we have chosen a deliberately limited production based on a single variety: the Manzanilla Cacereña, grown in the Sierra de Gata.
Harvested with care and then quickly cold-extracted, our oils come in two complementary aromatic profiles:
- Green Fruity, fresh, vegetal, and structured.
- Ripe Fruity, round, harmonious, and gourmand.
Each bottle is a reflection of a terroir, a vintage, and a constant search for quality.
Discover our Signature olive oils
Sources
- International Olive Council (IOC) – Standards and Quality Criteria for Olive Oil
- FAO – Olive Production and Quality Management
- Olive Oil Times – Early Harvest Olive Oils and Quality Factors
