Yes, you can and should cook with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).

One of the most widespread myths about EVOO is that you cannot cook with it, however this is false. Some people believe that the smoke point of an oil determines its stability and suitability for cooking, however research has now proven this to be incorrect.Instead, the type of fat and the level of antioxidants are better predictors of stability.EVOO contains healthy and stable monounsaturated fats, as well as antioxidants, making it less likely to break down and form harmful compounds. EVOO is suitable for all of your at home cooking – including frying, baking, roasting and deep frying.

A bottle of unopened good quality extra virgin olive oil will last for 12-24 months from harvest, if it has been stored correctly (away from light and heat - we recommend back of the pantry/cupboard). Once opened,we suggest using it within 4-6 weeks. This is because once the oil is exposed to air, it will start to break down. While the oil won’t be ‘off’ after this time, the flavour profile may start to change, and the antioxidants can begin to degrade.

For this reason, we recommend choosing a bottle size that you will use up within 4-6 weeks. Once you open your bottle of EVOO, make sure to store it away from heat and light, and keep the cap screwed on tight.  Don’t store your EVOO on the bench next to the stove as the heat from cooking will speed up the breakdown of the oil!

Yes, cloudy extra virgin olive oil is natural, and is not uncommon

Cloudiness can be caused by a couple of factors:

1) if the oil is particularly fresh, there will be tiny particles of moisture and flesh from the olive fruit itself suspended in the oil, or 2) this is simply the effect of cooler temperatures on the oil. Either way, this is not something to be concerned about and you should have no hesitation in using this oil.

It is likely that any lumps observed is natural crystallisation of extra virgin olive oil, which may occur when the oil’s temperature drops, either due to cooler ambient room temperatures such as during winter or if refrigerated. This is of no concern at all, and you will find that the oil will clarify completely once it is brought up to a comfortable room temperature. Cold in no way affects the quality of olive oil, and it remains perfectly suitable for consumption.

When extra virgin olive oil is packaged while still particularly fresh, the formation of natural sediment is quite normal. In terms of oil quality, this is not viewed as a defect, and can be regarded in the same way as the sediment found in some fruit juices. Sediment in olive oil can appear as a coating on the bottom of the container, or as small lumps or masses. This congregation is due to the moisture content of the sediment, and given that oil and water do not mix, you will find that these lumps will not disperse in the oil. Please note sediment does not compromise the quality of the oil, it is perfectly harmless, and poses no health risk whatsoever. It is expected when very fresh EVOO is bottled.

Please store your extra virgin olive oil away from heat and light. Ideally in a dark cupboard, that remains at room temperature. Please do not store your extra virgin olive oil next to the stovetop or on a bench, this can reduce the premium quality of our product.

When it comes to extra virgin olive oil, fresh is best flavour and health. With less food miles and time needed to get from producer to supermarket shelf compared to imported products, Australians have access to award winning, premium quality extra virgin olive oil made right here in our own country. We also have a strict Code of Practice, led by the Australian Olive Association (AOA), that brands like Cobram Estate adhere to. This Code of Practice was introduced to enhance the high quality of all Australian olive products and associated production processes so the public can be sure they're buying 100% extra virgin grade when buying from a company certified under the AOA Code of Practice.

Our varying flavours of Cobram Estate are achieved by using different olive varieties, there is no difference in the processing that occurs to produce our products. All our olives are picked and cold pressed within 4-6 hours to maintain maximum antioxidants and quality. Different flavours have different uses in the kitchen;
- Cobram Estate Light (Light green label) Flavour Intensity - a subtle blend with beautiful ripe fruit and apple notes with a distinct sweetness in the palate. The perfect choice when you want the food to tell the story! Ideal as a butter replacement in baking, cooking fish or eggs, a home-made mayonnaise or shallow frying. The main olive variety used in our Cobram Estate Light Flavour Extra Virgin Olive Oil is Arbequina.
- Cobram Estate Classic (Purple label) Flavour Intensity - this multi-purpose fruity oil is ideal for enjoying with salads, vegetables and fish, a very useful “all-rounder” in the kitchen. The main olive variety used in our Cobram Estate Classic Flavour Extra Virgin Olive Oil is Picual.
- Cobram Estate Robust (Dark green label) Flavour Intensity - this rich and appealing oil is best enjoyed when drizzled over pasta dishes or vegetables, used as a marinade, incorporated in stews or casseroles, added to tomato based sauces, frying, or simply for dipping crusty bread. The main olive variety used in our Cobram Estate Robust Flavour Extra Virgin Olive Oil is Coratina.

Unfortunately we do not offer tours to the public for any of our grove sites, they are working farms and we do not have capacity to offer tours. We have great videos on our YouTube channel showing the process of making our extra virgin olive oil and you can also read more about this process and the history of Cobram Estate here https://cobramestate.com.au/story and at https://cobramestate.com.au/tree-to-table

Cobram Estate does not own an olive grove within the town of Cobram. We have 2.6 million olive trees across three sites in Northern Victoria. These are in the towns of Boundary Bend, Boort & Wemen.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the natural fresh juice of the olives and our First Harvest is a celebration of this. Consequently, some variations in appearance from season to season may occur but the oil will still display those fresh and fruity notes that characterise the exquisite First Harvest oil every year. Each year we produce limited quantites of our First Harvest, which is typically available for sale via our website from April. Please ensure you are signed up to our Cobram Estate newsletter to be notified first when it is available for sale.

Extra virgin olive oil is simply the freshly squeezed juice of an olive. Firstly, olives are picked by our harvest machines, known as the Colossus or the Optimus. These machines delicately shake the olives off the tree, before they travel along a conveyer belt to a nearby waiting truck. Within 4-6 hours, this truck then heads to our processing plant, where the olives are crushed into a paste. The paste is then stirred, before being spun in a centrifuge to extract the water, the oil and the pomace. The oil is transported into large storage tanks, where it is stored at optimum temperature to maintain freshness. There is no heat, chemicals or solvents used in the process to extract oil from the fruit. This is an important differentiator between refined olive oil. You can read more about how we produce Cobram Estate extra virgin olive oil via the 'Our Process' page.

Yes, all Cobram Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil is first cold pressed. We use only cold pressed, natural extra virgin olive oil with no high heat or solvents used in our production methods.

Extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality and highest grade of olive oil and is simply the freshly squeezed juice of an olive.  EVOO is a natural product – it is unrefined and processed mechanically with no high heat or chemicals, meaning the healthy antioxidants are retained. Olive oil (including anything labelled ‘light olive oil’ and ‘pure olive oil’) is lower quality and has been refined. Refining processes can include bleaching, deodorising, degumming, and neutralisation and these processes can destroy the antioxidants, leaving a less healthy oil.

An online enquiry can now be submitted via https://cobramestateolives.com.au/contact-australia/community-partnership-sponsorship-requests/ for any donation requests for Cobram Estate.

Extra virgin olive oil has many well-researched health benefits due to the healthy fats, antioxidants and other bioactive compounds it contains. One of the main benefits of Cobram Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil is that it supports heart health* No other mainstream cooking oil contains the diverse range of bioactive compounds and antioxidants found in extra virgin olive oil.

*When consuming two or more 15mL serves per day as part of a balanced diet.

The total antioxidant level, including vitamin E, squalene and total biophenol content can be viewed under ‘Nutrition Information’ on each product page. The level of antioxidants in each product will vary slightly, however all Cobram Estate EVOO contains antioxidants, and our commitment to producing the freshest oil means that the maximum level of antioxidants is retained in the final product.

Yes, all Cobram Estate Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil, including all garlic & onion infused varieties are Monash University Low FODMAP CertifiedTM per serve. This helps those who are on the low FODMAP diet to continue enjoying garlic and onion flavours, and reduce the symptoms.

Yes, all Cobram Estate products do not contain gluten. The entire production process for our oil from the olive on a tree to the finished bottled product are done in-house by our own company on machinery that comes into contact with no common allergens, meaning there is fortunately no risk of contamination with gluten.

At this stage, our Cobram Estate online shop only ships within Australia. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. A number of our products are available to purchase within overseas countries however, please contact us if you would like to see if we have a stockist in your preferred country.

All Cobram Estate products are available to purchase via our website. Please visit the 'Shop' tab to find your favourite product.

Our offices at Boundary Bend and Boort do hold a limited quantity of our Cobram Estate products that can be purchased directly. Please note, our office reception opening hours vary so we recommend contacting the relevant office before visiting to avoid disappointment.

Please visit our corporate website for contact details of our Head Office & Production Facilities or our Groves Sites - https://www.cobramestateolives.com.au/contact-australia/