Texas Hill Country Olive Oil Company
I was invited to an exclusive travel and food writer event at the Texas Hill Country Olive Oil Company in Dripping Springs, Texas this past weekend. As soon as I received the invitation, I immediately responded with a YES! A day out in our beautiful Texas hill country, on an olive orchard, surrounded by so much beauty, food, and wine; who would say no? The Texas Hill Country Olive Company is family-owned and if you have been following my blog, you would know that I come from a family-owned business and own a small one myself.
We met the Gambini family who are owners of the company (in collaboration with Mr. Gambini’s brother-in-law Rick Mensik) and they shared their story about when the company began, the idea of planting olive trees, and why they bought the ever so scenic 17 acres of land in Dripping Springs, TX. I loved how the father daughter duo complimented each other on the way they shared their family success with myself and the other writers.
When you first drive into the grounds of the Texas Hill Country Olive Oil Company, you feel like you are out of town and out of state with the Tuscany style building and the olive orchard right beside it. We learned about the award winning extra olive oils that are made with a variety of olives that grow right on the orchard. (Their crushed olive oils, Lemon, Jalapeño & Garlic Crush are delicious and add flavor to salads, veggies & grilled meats and/or seafood.) Fresh extra olive oil isn’t the only thing that is produced at the company, other premium quality products such as premium balsamic vinegars, dips, olives, seasonings, beauty products, and gifts.
The Texas Hill Country Olive Oil Company is the perfect destination for a day-trip and/or an added stop for your weekend getaway to Dripping Springs; it’s also family friendly. The tasting room hours are from 10am to 6pm daily and the bistro hours are from 10am to 4:30pm daily. Olive oil tasting is free and there are two olive oil and balsamic tasting bars available where you can sample products prior to purchasing. The bistro and wine bar carry Texas wines and an assortment of gifts, gourmet products, and cooking accessories.
The best part of visiting The Texas Hill Country Olive Oil Company is the tour of the olive orchard and facility. The owners share their story and educate you on the process the olives go through from the orchard to the mill to getting bottled. Tours are on Friday and Saturday at 11am, 12:30pm, & 2pm. The tour is about 45-60 minutes and $6 a person. You can reserve you and your groups spot online.
If you LOVE your experience of the orchard and their great products, join their club and receive quarterly shipments (May, August, November, & February) of exclusive assortments of extra virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar and be among the first to try new product additions, receive invitations to events, and special offers throughout the year. For more information and recipes, visit their website.
