THE PROPERTY


The Bel Lavoro orchards are home to a unique collection of olive trees, which grow across our property alongside complementary botanicals. Our largest planting is Manzanilla, a widely beloved Spanish varietal. The Manzanilla tree is highly productive, with a gracious harvesting season. Its rich flavor contains a pleasant bite with distinct notes of almond.

Among new growth groves are our prized Chemlali trees. A native of Tunisia, this variety of olive is rarely found in the United States, and we are proud to be one of the few California-based orchards to grow it.

Our Arbequina trees, another Spanish legacy, give us an adaptable and hardy tree. Their highly aromatic olives are a deep brown hue and carry a mild, buttery flavor with hints of fruit.

TENDING & HARVEST


It is our absolute pleasure to tend the land atop the mountain. We treat each Manzanilla, Chemlali and Arbequina tree with the reverence it deserves. Through timeless and organic practices, we harvest both leaves and fruit, using our finest and favorite tools.

Because each type of tree is unique, so too are our harvesting techniques. Each variety is pruned by hand before drying our leaves on custom racks in preparation for tea making.

Our commitment, as much a privilege as it is a responsibility, is to give these trees everything they need to produce the highest quality ingredients, which we gather respectfully to craft our teas.

 

HEALTH BENEFITS*


A symbol of heavenly power, the olive tree has long been regarded for its health benefits, despite its relatively recent introduction to the Western world. Its abundance of medicinal qualities is largely attributed to a compound called oleuropein, found in both its leaves and fruit. When carefully extracted, it takes only a small amount of this nutrient-rich ingredient to help fight infection and prevent the underlying causes of many diseases and conditions. A powerful antioxidant, oleuropein’s potency is almost double that of green tea extract and four times higher than vitamin C. Oleuropein promotes increased energy, cardiovascular health and a more robust immune system. 

BEL LAVORO


Steep Echo teas are part of the Bel Lavoro family of brands. The shared ingredient across our collections is that of our prized olive orchards, which we irrigate by natural spring water. Fed by a tunnel cut through the mountainside, our wellspring travels over crests and through valleys by means of a century’s-old aqueduct and the ingenuity of our predecessors, to reach our groves on the mountain. The only of its kind, our tunnel nourishes both old growth and the newly planted, which we harvest by hand through timeless practices. It is beautiful work for a beautiful life in the making, and an invitation we extend with each of our natural products and intentional endeavors.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.