Taste Test | Supermarket Olive Oils

You don't have to shop at a specialty-food store to find a decent olive oil. We tasted 12 brands sold at local supermarkets and turned up four that offer a pleasing depth of flavor for a fraction of the cost.
--Monica F. Forrestall

product	staff comment	interesting bite

Patsy's Extra Virgin Olive Oil($8.59 for 17 oz.)	"Spicy, with a lingering finish and a good balance of acidity and richness."	Produced by Patsy's Restaurant in New York City, this is made with only Italian olives.

Monini Extra Virgin Olive Oil($10 for 17 oz.)	"Great fruity flavor with a fiery bite."	Two well-known Italian foodies, Sophia Loren and Luciano Pavarotti, use Monini in their kitchens.

Bertolli Classico ($4.19 for 8.5 oz.)	"Pleasantly light body and nice aftertaste."	Bertolli was one of the first manufacturers to package oil in glass bottles instead of cans.

Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil ($8 for 17 oz.)	"Zippy flavor; grassy and refreshing."	The striking octagonal bottle was inspired by the Duomo in Florence.

Published April 2003