Extra Virgin, Virgin, Riviera: Olive Oil Grades Explained

Bottles standing side by side on the shelf can differ wildly in price. The difference comes not from the brand but from the grade of the oil. Two things determine that grade: how the oil was extracted, and its free Olive Oil?">acidity level.

Extra virgin olive oil

The top grade. Olives are pressed using mechanical means only — no heat treatment, no chemicals. Free acidity is at most 0.8%. It must also pass a sensory panel with zero defects: it should smell fruity, with no mustiness, vinegary notes or rancidity.

This is the grade that shines raw — on salads, on mezes, drizzled over a finished dish. Its aroma is lost when heated.

Virgin olive oil

Extracted the same mechanical way, but acidity may reach 2% and slight sensory defects are tolerated. Suitable for everyday cooking.

Refined olive oil

Produced by treating defective or high-acidity virgin oil with heat and chemicals. Acidity drops, but most of the aroma, flavour and polyphenols are lost. It is not sold on its own.

Olive oil (Riviera)

A bottle labelled simply "olive oil" is usually this: refined oil blended with a little virgin oil. It is cheaper and suited to high-heat work such as frying. Do not expect the health profile of extra virgin from it.

Pomace oil

Extracted with solvents from the pulp left after pressing. It is not olive oil in the strict sense; labelling it "olive pomace oil" is mandatory.

In short

• For health and flavour: extra virgin
• Everyday cooking: virgin
• Frying: riviera
• If the label says only "olive oil", it is not extra virgin — genuine extra virgin always says so.

Where does the price difference come from?

Two bottles on the same shelf can differ threefold in price. Here is why:

One litre of extra virgin oil requires roughly 5-6 kilos of olives, and those olives must be sound, picked on time and processed quickly. An early harvest yields less fruit per tree. Refined oil, by contrast, can be made from low-grade fruit — even olives gathered off the ground — because defects are removed during refining.

Which oil for which job?

• Salads, mezes, raw use: extra virgin. Unheated, it keeps its aroma and polyphenols.
• Vegetable dishes, sautéing, baking: extra virgin or virgin. Olive oil's smoke point sits around 190-210°C; ordinary home cooking stays below that.
• Deep frying: riviera. At high heat the aroma of extra virgin is lost anyway, so there is no point spending on it.

"You can't fry with olive oil" is a common myth. In terms of smoke point and resistance to oxidation, olive oil holds up better than sunflower oil. Using extra virgin for frying is simply uneconomical.

Reading the label

The following terms have legal definitions:

• "Extra virgin olive oil" — top grade, acidity ≤0.8%
• "Virgin olive oil" — acidity ≤2.0%
• "Olive oil" (riviera) — a blend of refined and virgin
• "Refined olive oil" — not sold to consumers on its own
• "Olive pomace oil" — solvent-extracted from pulp; not olive oil proper

"Cold pressed" may only appear if processing stayed below 27°C. "First pressing" is meaningless with modern equipment, where there is only one pressing.

Common questions

Is riviera unhealthy?

No, it is not harmful. But since most polyphenols are lost during refining, do not expect the health profile of extra virgin from it.

Is sediment in the bottle bad?

In unfiltered oils, sediment at the bottom is normal and even a sign of freshness. Left too long, however, it accelerates spoilage.

Is greener oil better?

Colour reflects olive variety and ripeness, not quality. Professional tastings use dark blue glasses precisely so colour cannot influence judgement.