Owners Frank and Marti Menacho.

Celebrating 25 years of passion for California olive oil

—From their first experience in the olive oil industry to today, Frank and Marti Menacho have a shared passion for helping others improve the taste and quality of their food. Celebrating 25 years of their Olivas de Oro Olive Company, this dynamic and innovative couple extends a special invitation to visitors and locals to visit their tasting room in Tin City just off Highway 101 and 46 West in Paso Robles.

“We love being part of Tin City,” Marti says of the community of artisanal producers. “It’s all about the makers and people who are just as passionate about their product as we are about ours.”

That passion comes through loud and clear when the Menachos reflect on a journey that includes international recognition as olive oil sommeliers, earning more than 1000 competition medals, and offering the largest selection of olive oil from the oldest family-owned grower producer on the Central Coast. Frank served on the California Olive Oil Council tasting panel and as a competition judge.

Frank, a former commercial and wholesale fisherman, started his romance with olive oil while visiting upper-end restaurants and working with chefs from San Francisco to Carmel. Shifting careers, he purchased a friend’s olive tree orchard in Oroville back in 1999.

“I joined experts at UC Davis and learned all I could about olives and olive oil,” he said. “Marti came alongside to help me, and our passion and love for olive oil grew. The more we learned, the more we fell in love with it, and wanted to educate the consumer about the benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) from California.”

Along with raising their three children, Frank tended the orchards and mill while Marti worked in high-tech during the week. The family spent most weekends at farmers’ markets, doing educational road shows, and holding focus tastings.

In 2007, they transplanted 100-year-old olive trees to their property in Creston, opened a tasting room, and started providing services to fellow olive growers. They moved to Tin City in 2020 after a fire destroyed their tasting room.

“Then came the pandemic shut-downs and we had to get creative again with curbside pickups, mail orders, and sharing recipes and tips online,” said Marti.

Tasting room fun and education

The Olivas de Oro tasting room vibe is about having fun and learning to improve the taste of food with flavorful and healthy ingredients.

“We want our guests to have fun and leave with an experience they won’t forget,” Marti says. “We show them pairings of olive oil and vinegar and discuss how to use our products in everyday dishes.”

Tastings are by appointment or on a walk-in basis. Guests are paired with a team member who discovers personal preferences and answers questions about olive oil and other products. “Guest relationships are important to us, and we provide individualized, personalized experiences,” Marti says. “People can taste as many items as they want.”

Relax on the patio, and enjoy a glass of local wine or beer from Tin City neighbors. Choose from a selection of hummus, olives, cheese, salami, tapenades, and more in an inviting and pleasant atmosphere.

Over the years, the Menachos have added chimichurris, jams, Dijon, tapenades, sea salts, rubs, grilling sauces, and more to their Ranch Product lineup.

Crafting artisan olive oils

Crafting high-quality artisan olive oil takes knowledge and patience. Frank takes care of the trees, keeps them healthy, tastes for ripening, and picks olives at their peak of freshness. The olives are milled within 24 hours, then the oil rests in containers for natural decantation. After about three months the finished product is transferred into drums.

“When I make our Mission Blend EVOO – a combination of our arbequina and mission olives – I blend different lots of oil to achieve a certain flavor profile. For flavored oils, I use just picked mission olives, and the fresh ingredient in the mill simultaneously.” The difference between cold-pressed and infused olive oil comes out in the flavor. “An infused oil,” said Frank, “loses its flavor when cooked. Cold pressed maintains the flavor.”

“You get all the benefits of olive oil – the antioxidants and nutritional value – but whatever natural flavor you put in becomes the star of the show,” he says, adding they source all of the produce for these oils from other California farmers. “Everything is fresh, and we believe it’s important to buy local and know where your food comes from.”

Clubs, guest houses, and perks

Olivas de Oro club options – the Press Club, Pairings Club, and Branch Club, include twice-yearly allocations, luncheon events, plus product and guest house discounts. Guests earn stars on each purchase and convert those stars to discounts or complimentary products with the Loyalty Program.

Visit the Olivas de Oro tasting room at 2989 B Limestone Way in Tin City. For hours and more information visit olivasdeoro.com, call (805) 227-4223, or follow along on Facebook and Instagram for special events and updates.

— Meagan Friberg