How to Choose Olive Oil: Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil Guide
Not sure which olive oil to buy? Every olive oil in our range is Australian grown, from two Victorian groves: Mount Zero in the Grampians and Cockatoo Grove on the Murray River near Cobram. Here's what to look for on the label, and how each of our oils compares. We took every detail straight from the producer's own description.
What to look for on the label
- Extra virgin. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is extracted from the olives by mechanical means only, with no heat, solvents or refining, and it has to pass chemical and taste tests. "Pure", "light" and plain "olive oil" are usually refined.
- A harvest date. Olive oil is best fresh. Look for the harvest or press year on the bottle.
- Free fatty acid (FFA). A measure of freshness and fruit quality. To be called extra virgin it must be 0.8% or lower; the lower the better.
- Biophenols. Natural compounds from the olive, measured in parts per million (ppm). They give fresh oil its peppery, slightly bitter bite.
- A dark bottle or tin. Light and heat age olive oil, so it should come in dark glass, a tin or a cask.
- The olive variety. Like grapes in wine, the olive changes the taste. Arbequina is generally mild and buttery, Frantoio is fruity and peppery, and Picual is bold, green and grassy.
Our extra virgin olive oils
| Olive oil | Olives | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Zero Organic in Conversion EVOO (500ml and 2L) | Frantoio and Corregiola | Picked and pressed May 2026. 255 ppm biophenols, 0.3% FFA. Creamy and herbaceous with a peppery finish. The grove is converting to certified organic, with full certification targeted for 2028. |
| Mount Zero Frantoio (500ml bottle and 2L cask) | Frantoio, single variety | Grown in the Grampians, Victoria. |
| Mount Zero Arbequina | Arbequina, single variety | Cold-pressed. Arbequina is generally the mildest olive variety. |
| Mount Zero Early Harvest Picual | Picual, early harvest 2026 | Unfiltered and freshly bottled, so natural cloudiness or sediment is normal. |
| Cockatoo Grove Organic EVOO (bottle and 2L) | Frantoio and Coreggiola, 2025 harvest | Certified organic. New-season oil bottled without settling, so it may look cloudy. |
| Cockatoo Grove Midnight | Australian olives | Organic, first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil from the Murray River near Cobram. |
Citrus pressed olive oils
These are made by pressing whole citrus fruit together with the olives, so the flavour is part of the oil rather than added later. Use them for finishing rather than everyday cooking.
| Olive oil | What goes in | Try it with |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Zero Lemon Pressed Olive Oil | Cold-pressed oils (85%) and Australian lemons (15%) | Salads, seafood and roast vegetables |
| Mount Zero Yuzu Pressed Olive Oil | North-East Victorian whole yuzu and olives, cold-pressed together | Raw fish, ceviche, Japanese-style salads, olive oil cake |
Browse the full range in our Olive Oil aisle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between extra virgin and regular olive oil?
Extra virgin olive oil is extracted from olives by mechanical means only, without heat, solvents or refining, and must have a free fatty acid level of 0.8% or lower. Oils sold as "pure", "light" or plain "olive oil" are usually refined olive oil blended with some virgin oil. "Light" refers to the flavour, not the calories.
Can you cook with extra virgin olive oil?
Yes. Good extra virgin olive oil suits everyday cooking such as sautéing and roasting. Mount Zero describes its Organic in Conversion EVOO as a great everyday cooking oil. Save the citrus-pressed oils for drizzling over finished dishes.
What does "organic in conversion" mean?
It means the grove is moving to full organic certification. Mount Zero's land and olives are already managed to certified organic standards, with full certification targeted for the 2028 season.
Why is my olive oil cloudy?
New-season and unfiltered oils, such as Mount Zero Early Harvest Picual and Cockatoo Grove Organic, are bottled before the tiny olive particles have settled. The cloudiness is a sign the oil is fresh and is perfectly fine.
Is your olive oil Australian?
Yes. Every olive oil in our range is Australian grown, by Mount Zero in the Grampians, Victoria, and Cockatoo Grove on the Murray River near Cobram.
How should I store olive oil?
Keep it sealed in a cool, dark cupboard, away from the stove and sunlight, and use it within a few months of opening for the best flavour.
How did you check these?
We took each detail from the producer's own description of the oil, including the harvest, variety and lab results where they're published. Harvests change every year, so the label is always the final word.
Last updated 3 November 2026.