High-end olive oil for connoisseurs

Anne Torda of Stow fills a bottle with olive oil at Debra's Natural Gourmet in West Concord. The store is one of three in town that let customers fill their own bottles with extra virgin olive oil. (Joanne Rathe/Globe Staff)

The top shelves are filled with fetching boutique olive oils that cost a pretty penny. The bottom are chockablock with the generic-looking oils in big metal cans. Given the recent scandals about adulterated olive oil, especially in Italy, a shopper can't be completely sure of what's in the container.

And how can you know which one you like when they're sealed in those bottles or cans? The characteristic bitter, fruity, and peppery elements can vary widely, depending on the olive variety, ripeness, and harvest.

The answer is as simple as turning on a spigot. Three stores in Concord let customers fill their own bottles with extra virgin olive oil.

Picture a 20-liter, gleaming, stainless steel vat either on a wooden display or among other self-serve items. Choose an empty bottle next to the vat and simply pour from the spout. Better still, taste it before you pour.

If you crave a genuine taste of Italy, try Farfalle Italian Market (26 Concord Crossing; farfalleitalianmarket.com). Owner Gina Nasson began selling the Longevita Giulivo extra virgin olive oil ($25, 500-milliliter bottle; $23 refill) in September. Farfalle became the only US store carrying this extra virgin olive oil, which is made within 48 hours after harvesting a variety of olives from Puglia, Sicily, and Marche.

The olives are first cold pressed, meaning the oil is from the first pressing of the olives. This process avoids the heat that changes the oil's chemistry, retaining the nutritional value.

You can compare the 2007 Giulivo with four or five bottled oils that Nasson provides for customer sampling. Why care about the year? Because unlike wine, oil is best the first year, then the flavor fades. You will probably have to ask any of these vendors about the year the oil was produced, since often only the "sell by" date is on the label.

Your first bottle of Giulivo will be filled with oil, and either you or a staff member can refill it from the vat.

Nasson recommends using this medium, well-balanced oil with "peppery spice and . . . a bite in the finish," for sauteing, making dressings, and especially for dipping or drizzling over roasted or grilled fish.

In West Concord, not only does Debra's Natural Gourmet (98 Commonwealth Ave., debrasnaturalgourmet.com) use Trianna, a fruity 2007 South American organic olive oil, in all its prepared foods, it also sells it in bulk.

At the rear of this newly remodeled store, the vat is on a shelf in the bulk, self-serve area, with tiny paper cups inviting a small taste. Bring your own bottle or buy one there - the two smaller bottles are a bit more expensive because of the functional swing-top caps ( 1/4 liter, $3; full liter, $4); the largest is a half-gallon ($3). A big advantage is that consumers may buy any amount.

Trianna is less expensive ($15 a liter, plus bottle), yet made with the same care as high-end oils. The three varieties - Arbequina, Manzanillo, and Araucoare - are hand-picked and first cold pressed within 24 hours on a 1,000-acre estate near the Andean foothills of Argentina.

Everything about this international award-winning oil appealed to Adam Stark, supplement manager at Debra's, including the delicious flavor, the US organic certification, and how the company interacts with employees.

Selling bulk oil supports the business's environmental philosophy to "reduce, reuse, [and] recycle. We're actually in that middle step, the reusing part of it, which is better than just putting your bottle out by the curb," said Stark, who started offering the oil about six months ago. "We're not just trying to sell healthy foods, but we're trying to sell the health of the planet."

Stark recommends storing Trianna in the refrigerator, but says it's fine to keep it in a cool, dark spot.

At the nearby Nashoba Brook Bakery (152 Commonwealth Ave., slowrise.com), you can taste the pour-your-own Greek extra virgin olive oil ($12 for 500-millileter bottle; refill $10) and the 12-year-old Modena balsamic vinegar ($13 for 255 milliliters; $11 refill), both by Ariston Specialties. The first bottle is already filled and has a pouring spout. Ariston has offered the eco-friendly program since 1995.

John Gates, chief executive officer, decided to offer it last May because the oil, made with the exceptional Koroneiki olives, goes so well with bread, his main product.

It's from the first, cold pressing, sometimes even less than 24 hours after harvesting, from the Stasinos Family Estate, supplemented with other olives from the Kalamata region.

"We've tried some really fabulous olive oils, and this stood head to head with all of the good ones," said Gates. He enjoys this medium-bodied oil for everything but cooking.

"Olive oil is much like red wine," said Stark. "You get to a certain level, and it can be a connoisseur's thing, so it's really a matter of what you personally like."