Founder’s Reserve
Limited Production. Singular Expression.
Founder’s Reserve is a limited, early-harvest olive oil curated each season by olive oil expert Fil Bucchino.
Produced in small quantities from selected parcels within rejuvenated groves, it reflects the earliest expression of the harvest and the character of the land that produced it.
Members receive priority access to each release.
Origins
Founder’s Reserve dates back to 2009, when a small early-harvest olive oil called Adagio del Colle was shared via a simple email list among family and friends.
The intention was to recreate the experience of a single olive oil that revealed what extra virgin olive oil could be, an experience that would eventually set the course for what became Abandoned Grove.
Small quantities were produced each year and distributed quietly through that list. As word spread, the circle gradually expanded to include friends and friends of friends.
Over time, that small exchange of oil and ideas grew into the early community that helped bring Abandoned Grove to life.
On its tenth anniversary, the oil evolved into Family Reserve, reflecting the growing circle of people connected to the harvest.
In 2023, it was renamed Founder’s Reserve.
The name does not refer to a single individual. It honours the early supporters of the mission, the people who believed in the work before it had a name, and whose support helped it take root.
What began as a small exchange among friends remains a limited production shared with the community today.
The Curation
Founder’s Reserve remains a small, seasonal selection drawn from the early harvest.
From the rejuvenated groves under care, olive oil expert Fil Bucchino selects specific parcels during the early harvest based on the fruit’s character and the conditions of the year.
The resulting oils are produced in limited quantities, reflecting a particular moment in the season and the groves that shaped it.
Members receive priority access to each release. If quantities remain, the oil is occasionally made available beyond the membership community.
Upcoming Release
Founder’s Reserve #17
Fall 2026 harvest.
The Fall 2026 harvest is extracted in November. Cases ship after bottling.
Each release is accompanied by a detailed harvest record documenting the decisions behind the oil.
Founder’s Reserve #16, Fall 2025.
The Founder’s Reserve Label
For over a decade we have marked each harvest with a distinctive label. The label for #17 will be revealed closer to the release.
Each year works within a limited colour palette. That constraint, like the harvest itself, is not a limitation but a framework. Nature sets the boundaries and we respond with care and creativity.
Designed each year by artist and longtime collaborator Steve Hagey, every edition is both a continuation and a reinvention.
Founder’s Reserve #16, Fall 2025. Label by Steve Hagey.