A multi-sensory experience awaits at the Olive Vineyard, a newly opened gourmet store at the Shops at Oak Creek in Agoura Hills. Dark green bottles and stainless steel vats are laid out in immaculate rows. The herbal aromas are subtle. The tastes range from fruity to buttery. 

Olive Vineyard features the most extensive array of extra virgin olive oil this side of town, with 22 flavors in all. Balsamic vinegar, with 21 types, is not far behind.

Planting the seed

The idea of opening a gourmet store took hold after co-owner Nicole Shaver returned from a trip to Michigan. "I saw a similar store owned by a family friend and I knew I wanted one just like it," she said.

Shaver joined forces with friend Jennie Adams, and together they decided to specialize by offering just extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar initially. They combed the market for quality products, researched distributors and studied competitors before coming up with their own business model.

A former regional manager for a frozen yogurt company, Shaver's expertise is sales and logistics. Adams, a former senior plan administrator at a 401(k) firm, is in charge of finances. Both are hands-on with the day-to-day operations of the store, putting in 60-hour workweeks each.

Adams' husband, Jason, set up the store's e-commerce website. Shaver's fiance, Brandon Ledford, attends to the marketing and purchasing aspects of the business.

Olive oil 101

"If time is not an issue, I would usually start our clients off with the mildest flavor, progressing to the more intense ones," advised Adams, handing off a small plastic cup for tasting.

Generally, the milder flavors of extra virgin olive oil, such as the Sweet Barnea, are good with salads. Smelling like freshly cut hay but tasting of the tropics, Sweet Barnea can be paired with any of the balsamic vinegar varieties.

The more intense oils such as the Picual are good for baking, sauteing and making sauces. Picual comes from the most popular olive variety in the world and has a peppery aftertaste. Sharp hints of almond and fig also make it a good dipping oil.

The Olive Vineyard carries only extra virgin olive oil, considered the premier olive oil. It is the least processed as the result of freshly crushed olives. Virgin olive oil, on the other hand, is from the second pressing of olives.

"It was an educational process too for us, learning about olives, flavors and kinds of olive oils," said Adams. A staple of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil contains polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that have numerous health benefits.

Most of the extra virgin olive oils come from Tanzania, France, Australia and California. For balsamic vinegar, Italy is the sole source. "With olive oil, you want it as fresh as possible," Shaver explained. "With balsamic vinegar, you want it aged like wine." 

The 12-year-old balsamic vinegar is tarter and richer than the 18-year one, which is sweeter. Contrary to popular belief, balsamic vinegar's use is not limited to dipping. It can be combined with soy sauce or olive oil to make a tasty meat marinade, Shaver said. Many salads also do well with a dose of balsamic vinegar.

"There are no bad choices, really," said Adams of olive oil and balsamic vinegar pairings. However, some are runaway successes, like the Persian Lime Olive Oil and Honey Ginger Balsamic Vinegar combination. Adams estimates that the store has sold at least a dozen of that pairing since the store opened Sept. 4.

Branching out

"We sold 76 of those bottles on our opening day," said Adams, pointing to the bottles beneath the fustis, the stainless steel vats. Breakeven point for the business is 30 bottles a day, which it has been surpassing since opening day.

Women, usually over the age of 25, comprise the bulk of the Olive Vineyard's clientele. Most of them are curious, having seen a local ad or a flier. Some are more purposeful, looking for specific flavors and gift items, Adams said.

In the near future, Adams and Shaver anticipate doing private events, such as bridal showers in the tasting room. They said they would also like to widen their distribution channels and add hotels and small Italian restaurants to their clientele.

For now, they are looking forward to their grand opening on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The public is invited to an afternoon of product tastings, hors d'oeuvres and live music.