Corto, 100% California-grown olive oil and the secret ingredient of top chefs across the nation, announced today its Harvest 2023, limited-edition Agrumato-Method Lemongrass & Basil Olive Oil. Bursting with bright, herbaceous aromas with notes of citrus and a pleasant peppery finish, Corto’s Agrumato-Method Lemongrass & Basil Olive Oil is now available for $40.00 at Corto Olive Oil. Alongside this year’s Agrumato-Method olive oil, Corto’s award-winning Agrumato-Method Calabrian Chili is back by popular demand for a third year in a row and is available at Corto Olive Oil for $40.00.

Like today’s most exciting restaurants, which are combining elements from multiple cuisines, cultures and cooking traditions, this year’s Agrumato-method olive oil brings unexpected elements together for a harmonious flavor experience. The resulting oil elevates flavor with every splash, livening up dips, soups, pasta, seafood, fruit, cocktails, and desserts. Visit Corto's website to find serving inspiration and recipes developed by Chef and New York Times recipe contributor, Christian Reynoso.

Corto’s Agrumato 2023: Chef-Inspired Lemongrass & Basil Flavor

To create the exquisite flavor for the Agrumato-Method Lemongrass & Basil Olive Oil, Corto worked closely with a panel of chefs and culinary experts with diverse backgrounds ranging from pizza to fine dining.

"Corto's Agrumato-Method Lemongrass & Basil Olive Oil's delightful aroma and exceptional freshness combined with its exquisite flavor will enhance any dish,” said Chef Stephen Gillanders, chef, and owner of Apolonia, S.K.Y., and Valhalla restaurants in Chicago. “At our restaurants, Apolonia, S.K.Y., and Valhalla, we love this oil's versatility. This unique blend offers an incredibly delicious flavor profile."

Corto’s Agrumato 2023: Rooted in Italy and 100% California Grown

Inspired by the Corto family’s Nonno Amerigo’s childhood memories of olive harvesting in Italy, this special, limited-edition olive oil is crafted using the Agrumato method by crushing and cold-extracting our Fall Harvested olives simultaneously with California’s freshest seasonal ingredients to produce a sensational flavor experience. Corto works closely with California specialty farmers to source the freshest seasonal ingredients that result in complex flavor profiles, perfect for professional and home kitchens. The Agrumato-Method Lemongrass & Basil features lemongrass and basil grown from Ratto Bros. in Modesto, California. Ideal for gifting and drizzling on favorite dishes this holiday season (and all year long), the bottle features an illustrated label by Italian artist Irene Laschi, who specializes in botanical drawings.

“Our Agrumato-method olive oil has raised the bar on flavored oil. The results are phenomenal: An olive oil that bursts with vibrant, citrusy notes of lemongrass and an herbaceous aroma of basil, creating a harmonious symphony of flavors,” explained Corto Master Miller David Garci-Aguirre. “The superior freshness of Corto’s Agrumato-Method Lemongrass & Basil Olive Oil tantalizes the tastebuds with amazing natural aroma and layers of complexity that will enhance every culinary creation.”

First available in 2021, Corto’s limited-edition Agrumato-Method oils, like all Corto olive oils, are rooted in the company’s Italian heritage and inspired by innovations that are improving the way flavored olive oil is made. The entire line of Corto Agrumato-Method oils has already impressed the industry, garnering multiple top awards, including:

• 2023 Corto Agrumato-Method Yuzu & Calabrian Olive Oil Awards:
• Gold: EVO IOOC; London IOCC International, Olive Oil Japan, and Self Pantry olive oil competitions.
• 2023 Corto Agrumato-Method 2022 Yuzu Olive Oil Award:
• Gold: EVO IOOC; Best International Flavored Olive Oil.
• 2022 Corto Agrumato-Method Yuzu & Calabrian Olive Oil Awards:
• Gold: California State Fair, LA International, and Grand Prestige Terraolivo olive oil competitions.
• 2022 Corto Agrumato-Method Calabrian Olive Oil Awards:
• Gold: California State Fair Olive Oil and LA International Olive Oil (Art & Illustration) competitions.
• 2021 Corto Agrumato-Method Calabrian Olive Oil Awards:
• Gold: Best of Show at the California Mid-State Fair and Olive Oil Japan competitions.

Corto believes that the best olive oil is fresh, but 70% of the olive oil commercially available in retail outlets is harvested from overripe/rotten fruit that has fallen to the ground. Corto uses over-the-row harvesters to gently pick olives off the branches at peak freshness and is dedicated to freshness from grove to plate. The fruit is then cold-extracted in Corto’s state-of-the-art mill within hours and stored in a climate-controlled cellar until a customer order is processed. Only then is the oil packaged directly from the cellar into Corto’s FlavorLock boxes and dark-glass bottles, further ensuring freshness and minimizing exposure to the harmful effects of light, heat, and air. The result is some of the freshest, most flavorful oil possible.

The Harvest 2023, limited-edition Agrumato-Method Lemongrass & Basil Olive Oil is certified kosher, non-GMO, Halal-certified, and gluten-free. It is available now at Corto Olive Oil and on October 16, 2023 on Amazon.com.