Pairs Well With
Red Meat
Fish
Vegetables
Embrace
200ml
$36.99
Skip to product information
Embrace
$36.99
Menfi, Sicily, Italy
Single Estate · Lab-Verified · 2025–26 Harvest
Free Shipping on orders $100+
Nocellara del Belice is the cultivar most Sicilians think of first, and this Menfi estate presses an extra virgin olive oil about as well as it gets pressed. Cold-extracted within hours of harvest, medium-fruity and well-balanced, with the enveloping character the cultivar is known for. A natural place to start.
- Cultivar: Nocellara del Belice (100%)
- Harvest Year: 2025 - 2026
- Extraction: Cold-extracted
- Filtration: Filtered
- Intensity: Medium
- Acidity: 0.16%
- Polyphenols: 554
- Size: 200ml, 500ml
Awards
NYIOOC 2021
BGOOA 2022
JOOP 2023
FLOS OLEI 2024
Harvest Details
Embrace is grown at 110 meters on flat, red-sandy soil in Menfi, on Sicily's Agrigento coast, using a polyconic-pot farming style suited to the estate's coastal terrain.
The fruit is 100% Nocellara del Belice, Sicily's most prized western cultivar, native to the island and known for its medium green fruitiness and notes of artichoke, green almond, herbs, and tomato leaf balanced against a gentle bitter-spice structure.
Olives are hand-picked in the early morning during the second and third weeks of October, then pressed within six hours of collection using cold extraction with a protoreactor and two-phase continuous cycle. The oil is filtered and stored under nitrogen in thermo-conditioned silos to preserve freshness.
This oil carries the I.G.P. Sicilia designation, certifying its protected regional origin.
Nutritional Info
Nutrition Facts — Embrace
Serving Size: 1 tbsp (15mL)
Servings Per Container: 14 (200mL) / 33 (500mL)
| Calories | 130 |
| Total Fat | 14.0g |
| Saturated Fat | 2.0g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.0g |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 11.0g |
| Sodium | 0.0mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 0.0g |
| Protein | 0.0g |
Single-estate, 100% Nocellara del Belice olives. Producer: Embrace, Menfi (Agrigento coast), Sicily, Italy.
Storage & Care
Store your olive oil in a cool, dark place away from heat and direct sunlight, and keep the bottle tightly sealed between uses.
Unopened bottles stay at their best for roughly two years, but once opened, the freshest flavor and aroma are enjoyed within a few months.
If you prefer using a cruet, choose a dark, airtight one and refill it with small amounts at a time to protect the oil from light and air.
Shipping & Returns
Shipping
Free ground shipping on U.S. orders over $100. Orders below $100 ship at standard carrier rates. Most orders ship within 2–3 business days, and tracking is provided once your package is on its way.
Returns
All food products, including extra‑virgin olive oil, are final sale and cannot be returned or refunded. If your order arrives damaged, please contact us within 7 days of delivery with your order number and photos of the product and packaging so we can assist.
Aroma
Medium‑intensity green olive fragrance with clear notes of almond, green tomato, cut grass, artichoke, and light herbal tones. Fresh and straightforward.
Taste
Smooth entry with a clear vegetal character. Bitterness and spice show up in balanced measure, giving structure without sharpness. Finishes with a mild sweetness and a clean, persistent aftertaste.
Recipes to Enjoy
View all recipes-
Grilled Vegetable Antipasto Platter
A make-ahead grilled vegetable antipasto platter, dressed warm...
-
Garlic Bread
Garlic bread made with Embrace olive oil instead of butter, fo...
-
Sicilian Almond Cookies (Amaretti)
Crisp, chewy amaretti made with almond flour and a spoonful of...
-
Marinated Artichoke and Almond Salad
A fifteen-minute marinated artichoke and almond salad dressed ...
-
Soft Scrambled Eggs
Soft scrambled eggs finished with Embrace olive oil instead of...
-
Grilled Ribeye
Grilled ribeye finished with olive oil instead of butter, usin...
Embrace
Embrace represents a modern, knowledge‑driven approach to Sicilian olive oil rooted in technical expertise, shaped by a deep respect for the island’s landscapes, and guided by a commitment to elevate its traditions. It reflects the perspective of a producer who blends sensory training with a contemporary vision for what Sicilian oil can be.
FAQ
What makes Soliva's olive oils different from what I'd find at the grocery store?
Every oil we carry comes from one named estate, one harvest, one press. That’s different from most supermarket "extra virgin," which is blended from oil sourced across dozens of unnamed farms. We work directly with four small Sicilian producers: Tenuta Cavasecca, Embrace, Frantoio Galioto, and Viragì. Read more about how we choose them in Our Story.
What do "single-estate," "single-cultivar," and labels like D.O.P. or I.G.P. actually mean?
Single-estate means all the olives come from one farm. Single-cultivar (or "monocultivar") means the oil is pressed from just one olive variety rather than a blend, such as our Monocultivar Biancolilla N° 07 or Monocultivar Moresca N° 03. D.O.P. and I.G.P. are EU-protected designations that guarantee the oil was grown and pressed in a specific certified region, such as our D.O.P. Monti Iblei 04 and I.G.P. Sicilia 05.
How do I know this oil is actually fresh?
Look for a harvest date and lab-tested numbers, not just a "best by" date. Sicilian olives are picked between September and November, so a harvest labeled "2025-2026" comes from olives picked in late 2025 and sold as that year’s vintage through the following year. Every bottle we sell is tested for polyphenol content and free acidity after pressing, and we publish those results as we receive them from each producer. Once it arrives, keep it tightly capped in a cool, dark place away from the stove; light and heat age olive oil fastest.
"Mild," "medium," and "intense": what do these mean, and how do I pick?
It’s a measure of pungency and peppery bite at the back of the throat, not a measure of quality. A mild oil isn’t a "weaker" oil. If you’re easing in, start with Delicato: The Gentle Introduction. For an everyday all-rounder, browse Equilibrio: The Everyday Classics. If you already love a peppery finish, go straight to Audace: For the Bold Palate.
I'm new to single-estate olive oil. Where should I start?
Start with a bundle rather than committing to a full bottle blind. Primo Assaggio pairs two 250ml bottles so you can taste the contrast side by side. La Scoperta walks you from mild to intense across three 500ml bottles.
Can I cook with these oils, or are they only for finishing?
Yes, all of our oils can be cooked with, though their character comes through most at the table: drizzled, dipped, or spooned over something simple. A general rule of thumb: milder oils are the most versatile for everyday cooking, while a bolder, more intense oil is best saved for finishing so its flavor isn’t lost to heat.
What are polyphenols, and why should I care?
Polyphenols are the natural antioxidant compounds responsible for both an oil’s peppery bite and much of its wellness appeal. Higher polyphenol counts generally mean a fresher, more recently pressed oil. We test and publish polyphenol levels for every harvest. Learn more on our Health Benefits page.
I want to send this as a gift. What do you recommend for someone who doesn't know olive oil yet?
A bundle takes the guesswork out of gifting. Primo Assaggio and La Scoperta are both built for someone new. For something more open-ended, a Soliva Gift Card lets them choose their own oil.
What's the difference between shopping by producer and shopping a bundle?
Shop by producer if you already know whose oil you want: Tenuta Cavasecca, Embrace, Frantoio Galioto, or Viragì. Shop a bundle if you’d rather we do the choosing across estates: Primo Assaggio, La Scoperta, or Le Quattro Tenute. Or browse everything at once in Shop All.