BLUE HILLS & OLIVE OIL

NOVEMBER 2021

I received a tempting invite to taste, tour, and feast my eyes upon a 22,000-acre ranch in the Capay Valley. Of course I accepted. Known for its Olive Oil, Seka Hills, is owned and operated by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation whose ancestors occupied the land for thousands of years. The word Seka means blue; if you are gazing upon the hills in the right sunlight, they look blue. The land is rich with diverse farming including 250 acres of certified organic fields, organic wheat, asparagus, tomatoes, and squash. Also growing is alfalfa, almonds, oat hay, olives, ryegrass, safflower, garbanzo beans, sunflower, sorghum, walnuts, wheat, and wine grapes, in addition, a 700 cattle herd grazes sustainably on the Tribe’s 12,00 acres of rangeland. Although I purchased many items from the tasting room's boutique, I was most fascinated with the olive oil growing and production. Seka Hills is one of the most sought-after extra virgin olive oil brands certified by the California Olive Oil Council.

My friends and I were escorted out into the olive tree grove where we viewed firsthand the farming practices and varietals that make up the portfolio. We learned that they also do custom milling. We asked a lot of questions about the process, and all of us were naturally curious due to our roles in the wine industry. The mill is custom-made in Italy and was running on the day of our visit. Our host then took us through the mill where we were able to see the olives being poured into the press, then into a kneading, extraction, and separation. We were handed little paper cups to hold under the spigot and sampled the fresh, savory, delicious, thick olive oil. It coated my throat, leaving me wanting more.

It's a good thing Marc, our host, had some more samples and a lunch spread for us. We sat down in awe of the process, incredible smells, colors, and flavors. We all dipped just about everything in olive oil. With full bellies and a bit of rest, we headed out to the ranch where rows of olive trees were being harvested. I snapped a pic of the machine in action and thought it would make a perfect character in a Star Wars movie. What a perfect way to embrace the Fall season. https://www.sekahills.com/