• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Save your favorite recipes by creating an account today

Good Life Eats®

finding the good in the kitchen and in life

Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Ingredient Index
  • Search
  • About
  • Subscribe
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Twiter
  • Recipes
  • Ingredients
  • About
  • Search
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Twiter
Home » Travel » Attractions » Napa Valley Olive Oil Tasting at Round Pond Estate
July 27, 2012

Napa Valley Olive Oil Tasting at Round Pond Estate

From the Kitchen of Katie Kick

Share this recipe

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Threads
Though Napa Valley may be known for its grape vineyards and wine tastings, there are plenty of other activities to indulge in while visiting. I recommend an Olive Oil and Vinegar tasting at Round Pond Estate.

During my preview of the Your Ticket to Dine prize package for the Hilton HHonors Seven Tickets to Your Paradise Sweepstakes I very much enjoyed our afternoon at Round Pond Estate, located in the Rutherford area of Napa Valley, where we participated in an Olive Oil and Vinegar tasting followed by a gorgeous, fresh lunch.

It’s hard to go wrong when you start your day with a hot air balloon ride and spend the afternoon with delicious food like this!

During a portion of the guided tasting we were taught exactly how to properly taste olive oil and vinegars.

How to Taste Olive Oil

We were given small cobalt blue cups with a small amount of each of the three oils that we would be tasting – Italian Varietal Extra Virgin, Meyer Lemon, and Blood Orange. The blue glass is to obscure your view of the oil so you don’t make the mistake of pre-judging the flavor or quality based on the oil’s color.

Swirl the glass three times, smell, swirl again, smell and take a small sip. Allow the oil to coat your mouth. Then, form your lips as if around a straw and take three “sips” of air.

We also tasted Round Pond Estate’s Herb Infused Oils – Basil, Rosemary, and Garlic – with plenty of locally made artisan bread for dipping. Garlic was my favorite if you’re curious.

How to Taste Vinegars

To taste Round Pond’s Red Wine Vinegars we had a plate with two sugar cubes on it. One at a time we soaked a cube in vinegar, then pressed it to our lips and sucked the vinegar through the sugar.

This process is supposed to help you really sense the underlying notes that are present in a vinegar and make it unique.

I love a simple oil and vinegar dressing, but we also talked about unexpected ways to serve vinegar, like with fresh fruit for dessert using a fruity vinegar or adding a bolder vinegar to a BBQ sauce recipe.

Olive Oil Tour and Tasting

If you have more time, you can take a tour of Round Pond’s Olive Mill where you will learn about olive cultivation, harvest and production prior to participating in the guided tasting of their artisan olive oils and vinegars.

Each tour lasts about 90 minutes and requires advance reservation. Tours run at 10 am, 12:30 pm, and 3:30 pm. This is something I’d love to participate in during a future trip to Napa.

Citrus Syrups

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen this image with a caption that read as follows: “Yuuuuum. Blood orange & Meyer lemon syrup at Round Pond Estates. #hhparadise“

Not only do the Blood Orange and Meyer Lemon Syrups taste amazing, they are incredibly versatile: served with a fruit and cheese plate for dessert, drizzled over Round Pond Estate’s Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Cake, added to a cold glass of San Pellegrino, brushed with one of the infused olive oils over grilled chicken…or just licked off your fingers!

I also love the story behind these syrups! “While crafting our acclaimed Meyer Lemon and Blood Orange Olive Oils, using the skins of California grown citrus fruits, we found ourselves with an abundance of vibrant, fresh-squeezed juice. Our delicious solution – the pure essence of citrus syrups. A sweet and whimsical match for an array of food and beverages, we invite you to discover this delightful treat” (quote via Round Pond).

If this sounds like something you’d like to experience, make sure you head to HHonors.com/Paradise and enter daily for your opportunity to win the featured prize package. If you win the Your Ticket to Dine prize package, you can have your very own Round Pond Estate experience.

 What are your favorite places to visit in Napa Valley?

Hilton HHonors invited me on an all expense paid trip to Napa Valley and I was compensated for my participation. I had a fabulous time and am happy to share my experiences and recommendations with you.


Tags


Meet Katie Kick

My lifelong interest in cooking has shown me that part of the goodness in life is enjoying delicious food with friends and family. I love trying new foods, discovering new places & things that help my family live the good life.

More About Katie
Updated: February 22, 2025

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

  1. David says

    October 9, 2013 at 1:14 PM

    WE did the SAME thing last fall on our honeymoon. We thought it would be a change from wine tours. It was so much fun to taste all the olive oils. We had a lot shipped home to us. We love the garlic and the rosemary infused olive oils. Oh, and the blood orange. The best part is we now know how to taste olive oil!

    Reply
  2. Kristen says

    July 28, 2012 at 8:07 AM

    What a great trip, Katie.
    I’ve done Olive Oil tastings but never vinegar tastings, except through local farmers at farmers market.
    Glad you had such a nice time!

    Reply
  3. Erin Friedman says

    July 27, 2012 at 4:37 PM

    My sisters and I are looking forward to an Olive Oil tasting next week at Round Pond. Gorgeous photos – love the colors.

    Reply

sidebar

Katie Kick from Good Life Eats in her kitchen

Meet Katie Kick

Hi, I’m Katie! Thank you so much for visiting my corner of the internet. I am passionate about cooking delicious and beautiful, yet accessible, food for my family and friends. I love tasting new foods, discovering new places and things that help my family live that good life.

More about Katie
Previous Post
Hot Air Balloons over Napa Valley
Next Post
The Bowery – Camera Bag from ONA

Related Posts

  • Buttermilk Olive Oil Muffins with Lemon and Honey
    Buttermilk Olive Oil Muffins with Lemon and Honey
  • bottle of hair oil
    How to Use Rosemary Hair Oil For Growth: Recipe for Rosemary Hot Oil Hair Treatment
  • Eat Well, Spend Less: Wk. 3 Round-Up
  • doterra pure essential oils order online
    #AFundForJennie: Pure Essential Oil Beginner Trio Kit Auction
  • chili garlic oil in a jar next to sliced artisan bread and fresh rosemary
    How to Make Chili Garlic Oil
  • Thanksgiving Round-Up
  • recipes using feta
    Feta Month Round-Up
  • frugal recipes
    Eat Well Spend Less Round Up - Week 1


View all posts

About

About
press
Contact
Work With Me
Privacy Policy
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Twiter

Let’s Cook

Recipe Index
Ingredients
Kitchen Tips
Dinner Ideas
Thanksgiving
Back to Top

Good Life Eats®. All rights reserved. Images photography original text, and original recipes contained are property of Good Life Eats® and may not be used, copied or transmitted without author consent.

Site Credits
Designed by Katelyn Gambler Developed by Once Coupled