At 68 feet above sea level, Talcott Olive Oil Estate is nestled in the rolling hills of Napa’s Carneros region where founders James and Patricia Talcott live and produce their world-renowned olive oil.
James Talcott has lived in the Napa Valley since 1946 when he moved here with his family. In 2005, he and Patricia married. In a move to focus their attention on their beautiful estate, the two of them decided to liquidate everything except for the property where Talcott now sits, which James has owned for over 30 years.
“James loves farming,” Patricia says of her husband, “He loves the land, the earth, loves everything about it.”
The two wanted to do something with their property that would tap into James’ love of the earth. Having some history working with grapes they decided against reentering the wine industry, so olives became the logical choice. James, a retired orthopedic surgeon, and Patricia, a retired operating room nurse, came to the conclusion they could farm olives with minimal assistance. As a result, their operation has truly become a Mom and Pop endeavor for everything except physically harvesting the olives.
“We hoped this would also afford us a little more time to travel,” Patricia explains.
Founders James and Patricia Talcott
The 3,000 Tuscan varietal olive trees were planted 11 years ago from cuttings, which consist of six different species. As the grove matured, olive production has increased from 1 ton to 30 tons of the Mediterranean fruit. With such a huge influx of oil coming in, James and Patricia were presented with the unexpected challenge of having to market their product. Needless to say, it was a challenge they not only surmounted but enjoyed doing so.
When you arrive at the Carneros property for olive oil tasting you are immediately impressed with the spectacular scenery. Guests often proclaim, “Wow it looks just like Tuscany!”
After a warm greeting by the Talcotts, visitors learn all about olive trees while in the grove. Tastings are done in the kitchen of the Talcott’s private home on the Estate.
Talcott Carneos Olive Oil has been recognized as one of the finest Tuscan style oil produced in the world. This fact has been established by awards presented by the California Olive Oil Council, New York International Competition, Los Angeles International Competition and Las Vegas Invitational.
In 2012 they were honored to receive a sofi award for a best new product on the market from the Specialty Food Association.
“We’re unique in the fact that the experience is both educational and delicious, Patricia explains, “And enjoyed on the property where it all happens.”
Patricia doesn’t hesitate to talk about their experience with Winspire and the winning bidders who visit their property, “It’s been fabulous. I would say that everybody that we have met through Winspire has been delightful. They are from all over the country. We enjoy their stories. You get up every morning and go about your life and you enjoy your circle of friends but you forget that the U.S. is such a diverse place full of interesting people!”Not only do the Talcotts enjoy meeting new people, they relish the fact that guests depart with a deepened understanding of olive oil.
She goes on to explain how through Winspire and the people they’ve met, they have been persuaded to start an Olive Oil Club. Since its inception in September, a majority of their Winspire guests have enrolled and have received their November shipment! Winspire is also a proud member of the Talcott Olive Oil Club and we look forward to having a staff tasting of our own when the next bottle arrives.
In summation, joining the Talcotts on their beautiful estate for a personal olive oil tasting is a truly unique Experience and a perfect embodiment of the kind of once-in-a-lifetime packages we provide here at Winspire.
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About Ian Lauth
Ian Lauth has been working to help Nonprofits maximize their fundraising revenue since early 2012 when he was hired by Winspire to develop external communications, brand expansion and product delivery processes. You can also find Ian on Google+.
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