2013 August PASO Magazine
A monthly look at life in the remarkable community of Paso Robles.
A monthly look at life in the remarkable community of Paso Robles.
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BUSINESS<br />
By Steven<br />
W. Martin<br />
Imagine a Hollywood<br />
“pitch session” for a movie<br />
based on the Kiler Ridge Olive Farm<br />
in Paso Robles.<br />
“It’s Tuscan romance-meets green<br />
industry-meets Star Wars. A guy and<br />
a gal cycle through Italy, fall in love<br />
with olive oil, return to California and<br />
start a frantoio using a combination of<br />
traditional methods, environmentally<br />
friendly processes and cutting edge<br />
technology.”<br />
Gregg Bone and Audrey Burnam<br />
are the guy and gal. A frantoio<br />
refers to the machinery, or mill, that<br />
produces olive oil. It also refers to the<br />
factory where olive oil is made. At<br />
Kiler Ridge Olive Farm, Gregg and<br />
Audrey have built a beautiful showroom/processing<br />
facility utilizing hay<br />
bale insulation and organic composting<br />
techniques overlooking a stunning<br />
view of the western hillsides. Gregg, a<br />
CalTech graduate with engineering<br />
degrees in electronics, computer science<br />
and optics (as well as studies in<br />
Ancient oil meets high-tech at<br />
Kiler Ridge Olive Farm<br />
Gregg Bone<br />
and Audrey<br />
Burman, and<br />
below, their<br />
frantoio.<br />
chemistry and mechanical<br />
engineering)<br />
has modified<br />
loading and bottling<br />
equipment as well as cooling systems.<br />
He even uses a 3D-printer to fabricate<br />
some of his own parts.<br />
The couple purchased their property<br />
on Kiler Canyon Road on the<br />
west side of Paso Robles about 13<br />
years ago. Since then they have planted<br />
about 2,700 olive trees. Eventually<br />
they hope to increase that to 3,600<br />
trees. It takes five years for a tree to<br />
start bearing usable fruit. It takes<br />
up to 15 years for a tree to fully<br />
mature. At full maturity an olive<br />
tree will produce enough fruit<br />
to generate one gallon of oil per<br />
year.<br />
Tasting olive oil is somewhat<br />
like tasting wine. First you<br />
hold a small container of oil in<br />
the palm of your hand to warm<br />
it and release the oil’s aromas.<br />
Then you sniff the oil to detect<br />
a faint grassy or citrus odor.<br />
Then you taste the oil, allowing<br />
it to coat your tongue. The first<br />
sensation comes from the front<br />
of the tongue where the aroma<br />
becomes a flavor. The second<br />
sensation is at the back of the<br />
tongue where a slight bitterness is perceived.<br />
Finally, in the throat, a peppery<br />
flavor manifests, which is evidence of<br />
the presence of antioxidants in the<br />
oil, one of its major health benefits.<br />
“If these three components aren’t<br />
present,” said Audrey, “you don’t have<br />
good oil.”<br />
In fact, according to Gregg, much<br />
of the oil marketed in this country<br />
is produced by introducing solvents<br />
to already crushed and processed<br />
olive fruit, leaving a smoky, machine<br />
oil taste. Oil of this quality isn’t even<br />
defined as being food grade in Italy,<br />
where it is sold as lamp oil.<br />
Gregg likens the emerging olive oil<br />
industry in this area to the progression<br />
of the wine industry. “Here in this<br />
country we have a word for the place<br />
where wine is made, but we don’t have<br />
one for where olive oil is made,” said<br />
Gregg. “The Italians do. And just as<br />
the world is beginning to understand<br />
the quality of wines made in California,<br />
they’re beginning to realize the<br />
quality of our olive oil. Right now the<br />
olive oil business here is about where<br />
the wine industry was in the 1960s.”<br />
Olive oil production tours begin at<br />
11 a.m. Thursday through Monday,<br />
and take about an hour. For groups<br />
of 6 or more, please call in advance<br />
for appointments for tasting and<br />
tours. Reservations required for oliveoil<br />
paired lunches, served 11 a.m. -<br />
2:30 p.m. Thursday through Monday.<br />
Phone (805) 400-1439. Learn more<br />
about the Kiler Ridge Olive Farm<br />
by visiting www.kilerridge.com.<br />
Kiler Ridge Olive Farm will be<br />
selling gazpacho at their booth at<br />
the 10th Annual Olive Festival in<br />
downtown Paso Robles on Saturday,<br />
Aug. 17, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.<br />
Tony<br />
Gaspar<br />
423-1816<br />
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Office: 237-8811 Fax: 237-8211<br />
102 South Vine St., Ste B Paso Robles, CA 93446<br />
58 Paso Robles <strong>Magazine</strong>, <strong>August</strong> <strong>2013</strong>
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