Grove Chat

by Ross Vintiner, Olive Oil Maker, of Dali Extra Virgin Olive Oils

June 2026

Kia ora,   

It’s so impressive to see such amazing local and international oils featured by Olivver.  I am honoured to be in their company.

At Dali Estate, we are completing our harvest.  We expect new 2026 oils to be ready for sale in early August.  

Recent weather and geopolitical events have hit the news constantly. These events challenge the twin goals of olive growers and farming in general - quality and resilience. These goals determine production, flavour and health-giving qualities, and in our case, what makes a world’s best olive oil.

Martinborough is our home. Weather is a constant. The influence of El Nino, La Nina and climate change are heavily felt.  But this is a place where grapes grow proud and olives have followed.  In Arabic, Dali can mean vine and a place where grapes hang.  

This season during flowering, we experienced cold, wet winds higher than 150kmh for several days. That compromised our flowering, fruit set and crop in an “off year” of biennial production.  If that wasn’t enough, a few months later during early fruit development another similar weather event pounded the grove for around one week.  Our current harvest quantity is half what it was last year.  Many other groves were shredded of fruit.

Dali also means to nurture and to lead.  We are well known for our innovative approach to growing, working with nature and science through organic and biodynamic farming.  Despite the weather and a compromised quantity, our new oil is shining bright green.  Our trees have a determined fitness and new fruiting shoots to beat the weather odds.  

Unlike many farmers I know, we first look underground for our resilience.  Under our feet is a workforce more numerous than stars above.  Microbial life is the most critical area of farming.  Microbes are the key to disease resistance, good soil structure, efficient nutrition, coping with drought, and maintaining healthy trees.   

This is why Dali is certified organic – chemicals destroy microbes.  Organic farming is the proven best way to grow and nurture a beneficial microbial population, which in our case is measured as “top tier” total microbial biomass (1540 ug C/g) and an all-important fungal/bacteria ratio (4:1).  Like nearly all trees, olives grow best in a fungal environment.

An independent study I was part of clearly showed that high soil organic matter, made by microbes, contributes most to phytonutrients, natural compounds that act as the plant’s natural defence system against sun and wind damage, pests and disease.  

When consumed, phytonutrients offer humans powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits against chronic illnesses. Extra virgin olive oil contains phytonutrient compounds as polyphenols. Dali oils contain some of the highest polyphenols recorded in New Zealand. We record polyphenols for our customers on our bottle labels.

Building resilience using microbes increases extra virgin olive oil quality.  Dali has been fortunate to have been judged a World’s Best Olive Oil at the New York world champs of olive oil. This makes us one of the top 100 olive oils of the world.  

Dali demonstrates resilience – supported by proven grove hygiene, nutrition and organic growing.  We produce World’s Best extra virgin olive oil. Quality with resilience.