In California wine country, liquid gold: An olive oil trail

(FoxNews) - Come to California wine country taste the . olive oil?

Yes, there's liquid gold hidden among the vines, part of an olive oil boom in recent years. You can tour an orchard, learn what extra-virgin olive oil really means and taste your way through lemon-, herb- and even chocolate-infused olive oils. Harvest is usually around the end of the year, but any time is good for a visit. Here are five recommended "pit" stops.

ROUND POND ESTATE

A family run winery whose owners branched out into olives some years ago, this estate produces four gourmet olive oils and has an onsite olive mill. If you're pressed for time you can do the "Splash and Dash" tasting, enjoying olive oils and the estate's red wine vinegars. Available April-November, Thursday-Sunday 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday-Sunday 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., $20 per person. For a more leisurely approach, take a tour and tasting, by appointment only and available at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. daily. You get a tour of the mill followed by sit-down tasting of olive oils, vinegars and syrups paired with estate wines, vegetables and other fresh edibles, $45 per person, 886 Rutherford Road, Rutherford, Calif.

LONG MEADOW RANCH

Tailor your visit to be long or short, depending on your inclination. Stop by the winery tasting room in St. Helena (738 Main St., 707-963-4555) to enjoy an olive oil tasting from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., no appointment needed, $5 for a tasting of Prato Lungo and Napa Valley Select olive oils. For a more in-depth look, visit the winery's Mayacamas Estate. You'll explore the grounds, see the vineyards and visit the oldest olive orchard in Napa County, planted in the 1870s. Reservations required, $85 a person. During harvest, you can watch the mill in progress from a viewing platform and all visits end with a tasting of limited production wines and a sample of LMR organic Napa Valley Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil.