Reviews and Feedback

Highlight of the vacation

We learned a lot about olive oil and had a wonderful day in the shop and on the tour with Paul and his family! It was definitely a highlight of our vacation. You seldom see such a passion for a product and you can feel it immediately when trying it and in the atmosphere. No other olive oil comes into our house!

Thanks Paul and family!!!

 5/5

Our Commitment to Quality

As a family we love sharing our passion for high quality extra virgin olive oil, ethically locally produced food and why these things mean so much to us. We are deeply appreciative of the positive feedback we have received to date and hope that your experience with us will be equally positive, educational and fun.

Added to this is our commitment to exceptional experiences on our educational olive grove tours including our special Evening under Olives experience.

Finally we continue this commitment to the highest level of guest care at our beautiful Villa Santa Margherita located on our olive groves.

SHOP & TOURS REVIEWS

BRIST Extra Virgin Olive Oil Shop

4.8

review us on

black_hero1121

09:38 13 Nov 22

Wir waren im Jahr 2018 Vodnjan gewesen, einem kleinen liebevollen Dörfchen in Instrien, um dieses einfach mal zu erkunden. Dabei sind wir durch Zufall auf den Shop von Brist Olivenoil gestoßen. Wir wurden damals gelich beim Betreten des Ladens herzlich begrüßt und konnten alle Öle auch verkosten. Natürlich haben wir gleich 3 Flaschen feinstes und vor allem ungepanschten Olivenöl gekauft. Zu Hause haben wir es so oft genutzt, dass wir das Öl seit dem immer online bei Paul bestellen. Sogar meine Mutter und meine Schwiegermutter schätzen mittlerweile euer Produkt sehr. Es ist halt nichts gepanschtes und zu 100% reines Olivenöl. Ich freue mich jedes mal, wenn die neue Lieferung bei mir zu Hause in Oberfranken ankommt. Macht weiter so. Und im Übrigen finde ich die Preise sehr fair im Vergleich zu den gepanschten Olivenölen, die es bei uns normalerweise zu kaufen gibt. 100% iges Olivenöl kostet nicht nur etwas mehr, sondern ist vor allem sehr, sehr gesund. Wir nehmen es zum Braten, Kochen und für Salate. Liebe Grüße Georg

Ralf Reihing

06:22 20 Sep 22

Wir kommen schon einige Jahre hierher, verkosten jedes Jahr die tollen Olivenöl, waren mit Paul auf der Oliventour und waren hin und weg von seinem Fachwissen und vor allem von seiner Begeisterung für die Natur, deren Erhalt und alles um die Olivenbäume und das Olivenöl. Wir decken uns auch dieses Jahr wider ein mit dem leckeren Öl und müssen auch für viele unserer Freunde und Bekannten Öl mitbringen, die den tollen Geschmack zu schätzen wissen. Wir kommen gerne wieder

Nathalie Treder

01:05 14 Aug 22

Super liebe Bedienung. Wir durften alle Öle probieren. Der Verkäufer war sehr nett und die Beratung war mehr als nur gut. Man hat dem Verkäufer sein Fachwissen richtig angemerkt. Auch unserem Hund wurde direkt ein Wasser hingestellt. Was auch schön war, dass der Verkäufer auch die Partnerprodukte vorgestellt hat. Man merkt hier sind Profis am Werk. Daher würden wir immer wieder kommen. Und die Öle sind natürlich auch sehr gut. Wir lieben es jetzt schon und kommen wieder.

Candy Brick

17:37 06 Aug 22

Absolutely superior quality of the olive oil. Very welcoming lady in the shop in Vodnjan guiding the olive oil tasting. Beautiful branding. All perfect.

Laurence Losekoot

16:22 02 Jul 22

Paul and Lena; the most warm welcoming people from Croatia. We did the evening tour on Thursday and went to the shop the day after to buy some oils.There are very patient and genuine, they have a lot of personal attention for their customers. The tour was also very nice, we had a good experience and nice dinner. I have a lot of respect for their quality standards and business approach. All the bottles have a nice design and very proffesional website!

Dennis Hirschhäuser

20:01 31 Aug 21

What a brilliant evening and what an enchanting tour. We not only learned a lot about olive oil but also saw how sustainable agriculture can look and work. We will be back. Thank you Paul & family

Johanna Stegmann

21:07 10 Aug 21

The tour in the evening was the perfect ending of the day. Paul and his wife were very nice and it was informative and funny. The meal was great and the tasting was so interesting

Michael Epifanio

10:33 12 Aug 20

Super Erfahrung und ErlebnisWir hatten die Morningtour mit Paul - ein toller Typ wo man mit jeder Silbe merkt, das er und die ganze Familie sich mit herzblut dem olivenanbau verschrieben haben. Ehrlich und kompetent wurde uns die Art und Weise der Kultivierung, Pflege und vieles mehr erläutert. Anschließend noch ordentlich im Shop geshoped😎😁 denn ich kann mich Gordon James Ramsay nur anschließen - geniales Öl! 👍👍👍Danke für einen unvergesslichen Vormittag!Super experienceWe had the Morningtour with Paul - a great guy where you can see and hear with every syllable that he and the whole family have dedicated themselves with passion to olive growing. Honestly and competently we were explained the way of cultivation, care and much more. Afterwards in the shop the story continued with a nice tasting. 😎😁My conclusion: I can only join Gordon James Ramsay - awesome oil! 👍👍👍Thank you for an unforgettable morning

Frauke Ferber

21:14 05 Sep 19

What an amazing experience! 😉 The tour was about 2 hours with an very informative walk through the olive plantage and nice food and drinks to finish the day of.Great family which commits 100 percent to ecological farming! We will be back again.

Angelika Thurn

17:22 23 Jun 19

Mit Paul die "Morgen Tour" auf den Feldern unternommen und sehr viel erfahren. Besonders begeistert hat uns die Leidenschaft für das Naturbewusstsein und den umweltbewussten Anbau, Pflege der Bäume. Diese Familie lebt nicht nur im Hier und Jetzt, sondern handelt auch vorausschauend. Es wäre wünschenswert wenn mehr Menschen diesem Vorbild folgen würden. Das Öl ist einfach phantastisch.Vielen Dank, wir freuen uns auf den nächsten Besuch. Gruß Horst und Angelika (Team Germany)

TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS

5 out of 5 stars
JourneyofDoing
06/07/21 - TripAdvisor

More than just an olive oil shop We stopped by Brist after reading about how great Croatian olive oil is.  Paul spent the morning with us, teaching us about the differences between Brist olive oil and large producers of olive oil.   ... Read MoreWe stopped by Brist after reading about how great Croatian olive oil is.  Paul spent the morning with us, teaching us about the differences between Brist olive oil and large producers of olive oil.   The difference between these olive oils and the mass produced oils are night and day.  Brist oils are so clean and fresh on the palate.  Paul was a thoughtful teacher, encouraging questions, and giving honest and genuine answers.  It was an incredibly enlightening and educational experience.  We were able to taste all of the olive oils (and received a bit of instruction on that process) and ended up purchasing quite a few bottles to bring home.  Paul was happy to provide additional materials on the olive oil so we could share what we learned with our family and friends.  

While you are certainly welcome to merely try and buy olive oil, I recommend engaging in a discussion about the production of olive oil.  We truly learned so much and are very appreciative of the amount of time that Paul spent with us and the information he shared.  We will definitely be ordering again, if not returning for more olive oil education. less				
5 out of 5 stars
SFbayExpat
15/09/20 - TripAdvisor

4 visits - 4 years - Brist is still the best My first holiday in Istria in 2017, I went to the olive oil museum in Pula and took the class on olive oil tasting. It was an eye opener. A couple days later I visited the Brist store. 

This is a p... Read MoreMy first holiday in Istria in 2017, I went to the olive oil museum in Pula and took the class on olive oil tasting. It was an eye opener. A couple days later I visited the Brist store. 

This is a professionally run, small family business and the product is not only amazing, it’s award winning. My first visit to the shop lasted 2 hours because they treated us like long lost friends.

Brist has turned into the only place we get our olive oil and every friend we bring there, whether they are from California, Ohio, Germany, or Austria, they have all ended up buying Brist Olive Oil. Those lucky enough to be in Europe have also continued to order it online after their holidays.

The farm tour is also great fun and I’ve spent 2 evenings there dining under the stars with friends and the amazingly friendly Brist team. 

I just visited today to get oil for my household and for a friend in Salzburg who was here with us last year. This oil and this family will make an impression that you will cherish and it will keep you coming back year after year. less				
5 out of 5 stars
jannettera
15/10/17 - TripAdvisor

Olive oil like it is supposed to taste We recently stopped in Pula on the Istrian peninsula of Croatia. The evening we arrived we ate at The Kantina restaurant and the server brought us bread and Brist olive oil. We tasted it and we're tot... Read MoreWe recently stopped in Pula on the Istrian peninsula of Croatia. The evening we arrived we ate at The Kantina restaurant and the server brought us bread and Brist olive oil. We tasted it and we're totally amazed at how good it was. We concluded that, coming from North America, we had never really tasted good olive oil, except for a few vacations in Spain and Italy.  We were so impressed with Brist (and we tasted only the Oleum everyday oil ) that I wrote to the company to find out if they could ship. Alas they do not ship to Canada (and perhaps not the U.S either).  Olive oil this good needs to be shared with the world.  There are probably small olive oil importers throughout Canada and the US I am going to try to request it and see what happens.

If you visit Pula make sure you go on the tasting tour at the Museum of Olive Oil and experience what high quality olive oil is like. less				
5 out of 5 stars
Martyn W
12/10/17 - TripAdvisor

The Real Story About Extra Virgin Olive Oil Who knew that the olive oil produced in Istria has taken the top awards for taste and quality for the past couple of years!! Owner Paul O'Grady is incredibly knowledgeable about the olive oil industry... Read MoreWho knew that the olive oil produced in Istria has taken the top awards for taste and quality for the past couple of years!! Owner Paul O'Grady is incredibly knowledgeable about the olive oil industry from start to finish! No question, you can really taste the difference in the "good stuff"! The horror stories about the use of rotten olives and shipping olive oil in bulk using oil tankers had us just about gagging when we thought about the extra virgin olive oil that we've consumed in the past. Skip the wine, we brought home as much of this olive oil as we could carry! They do tours for groups to their olive farm which I'm sure would have been wonderful but we had a great time at their storefront. Paul is very knowledgeable and has a great sense of humour as well. less				
5 out of 5 stars
Petra_Natural_Cro
05/10/17 - TripAdvisor

Olive goove tour and oil tasting I had an oil shop visit and olive groove tour here with a group of 13 Americans. We loved the surroundings, and all products we tried, including several varieties of oil, accompanied with delicious sn... Read MoreI had an oil shop visit and olive groove tour here with a group of 13 Americans. We loved the surroundings, and all products we tried, including several varieties of oil, accompanied with delicious snacks, local wine and chocolate.  Paul took us on the tour through Sta. Margherita groove. It was professional and interesting, discovering many facts about olives and all the process and hard work that stays behind the perfect drop of oil. I would suggest to everyone interesting in delicious oil to make also the groove tour, as this brings you to a new level of experience, realizing how personal this is, every olive has been hand-picked and taken care of on the top level possible! less				
4 out of 5 stars
Ted M
25/10/17 - TripAdvisor

Absolutely wonderful experience with Paul as your guide! Hi Tan,

Thanks for your review and kind feedback, we very much enjoyed having you with us. 

I am sorry that your partner dropped her sunglasses on the gravel path where the cars park and they got ... Read MoreHi Tan,

Thanks for your review and kind feedback, we very much enjoyed having you with us. 

I am sorry that your partner dropped her sunglasses on the gravel path where the cars park and they got driven over before anybody realized that they were missing. Although it was just a piece of very unfortunate luck and nobody's fault, I was happy to not charge for the 3+ hours with us. I hope this didn't take away too much from your positive experience with us.

Best regards to you both and safe trip home to Singapore.

Paul. less				
5 out of 5 stars
ClowAR
14/10/17 - TripAdvisor

Great tasting experience and very educational! My husband and I really enjoyed tasting and learning about olive oil and how to tell the quality. We can definately tell the difference between high quality and low quality, but now we know why they t... Read MoreMy husband and I really enjoyed tasting and learning about olive oil and how to tell the quality. We can definately tell the difference between high quality and low quality, but now we know why they taste so different. The man in the shop was super nice and helped us figure out how to pay for the street parking (a bit confusing). There were also some nice local wines to taste which was a great bonus! Planning to order some more olive oil from them when our supply that we bought then runs low. less				
5 out of 5 stars
Brittany_11_10
29/11/20 - TripAdvisor

Delicious and delightful Delightful staff, quaint little shop, and delicious olive oil. We walked in unannounced, on a random weekday during The Covid (oh, sorry, in November), and were treated to a very educational olive oil... Read MoreDelightful staff, quaint little shop, and delicious olive oil. We walked in unannounced, on a random weekday during The Covid (oh, sorry, in November), and were treated to a very educational olive oil tasting from a lovely, knowledgeable, and friendly staff member. We learned far more than we expected to learn (or maybe than we thought we even could), and tried some unique and flavorful olive oils. 

Brist is a great place to go to really learn about olive oil, and to taste--and buy some! less				
5 out of 5 stars
BoardingPass645262
10/02/20 - TripAdvisor

Best Olive Oil!!! If you are traveling through Istria make sure to stop here for a fun tasting! We came to the coast in hopes to try some decent olive oil and we were blown away by the taste of Brists' selections. Paul... Read MoreIf you are traveling through Istria make sure to stop here for a fun tasting! We came to the coast in hopes to try some decent olive oil and we were blown away by the taste of Brists' selections. Paul is a wonderful host and super knowledgeable in his field. He has changed our entire outlook on olive oil and it's production. We left with several bottles and will definitely buy from Brist again in the future. We can't wait to come back in the summer to visit the grove. less				
5 out of 5 stars
Yelena M
26/09/17 - TripAdvisor

Great Experience! Absolutely enjoyed the experience! This small family run olive oil producer was absolutely amazing. We learned extensive information about olive oil and the history of their wonderful family from Silv... Read MoreAbsolutely enjoyed the experience! This small family run olive oil producer was absolutely amazing. We learned extensive information about olive oil and the history of their wonderful family from Silvano. Their olive oils are very high quality and delicious. We just wished they could export them to US! We brought couple bottles home, which won’t last long! less				
4 out of 5 stars
KerrymanK
01/01/70 - TripAdvisor

Return to the source We sampled their oils at the Amfiteatar hotel and were so impressed that we just had to visit the source. Brist olive oils I Vodnjan are a match for any in the world and that is some claim. go and exp... Read MoreWe sampled their oils at the Amfiteatar hotel and were so impressed that we just had to visit the source. Brist olive oils I Vodnjan are a match for any in the world and that is some claim. go and explore, you won't be disappointed. Thanks Paul, you made our day.

If you don't have a car, the local bus is regular and takes little time. less				
5 out of 5 stars
bjoernw946
28/08/21 - TripAdvisor

“Excellent, heartwarming & tasty !” Excellent, heartwarming & tasty ! We picked up a nice selection of olive oil's and had a great time...                                       read more				
5 out of 5 stars
Zlatan I
15/12/21 - TripAdvisor

“Amazing!!!” We were here couple months ago, and for me is always more valuable from the user to give feedback...                                       read more				
5 out of 5 stars
ANCTravel27
21/07/22 - TripAdvisor

“A beautiful experience and new appreciation for olive oil” After reading other reviews, I and my 3 other friends booked the evening tasting. Lena, Paul and...                                       read more				
5 out of 5 stars
mitjaw2019
12/08/20 - TripAdvisor

From Vodnjan with love... and olive oil The whole experience!!! Best olive oil ever, beautiful people, cosy shop, their knowledge of oil, life... its a must!

REVIEW Breakdown

Excellent

98%

Very Good

Good

Poor

Terrible

We are a small family business, and every review really helps especially as it comes from you,

VILLA REVIEWS

Villa Santa Margherita

5.0

Based on 4 reviews

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Nataša Boch

13:20 13 Mar 23

The wonderful moments spent in Santa Margharita are difficult to describe in words, it is a place you have to feel... the feeling of silence, enjoying the smells and tastes, colors and views, sunsets and happiness that this place provides. The pleasure of sitting on the terrace with a view of the sea or a walk in the olive grove in the company of dear friends and hosts bring forgetting the word stress and a sure recommendation that the vacation in this place will be perfect.

Tony O'Grady

07:45 13 Mar 23

Wir haben uns sehr gefreut, einer der ersten Gäste in der Villa Santa Margherita zu sein. Es ist wunderschön gebaut in Bezug auf Layout, Qualität und Komfort. Die Lage ist spektakulär - umgeben vom Olivenhain von Brist - ruhig und landschaftlich reizvoll, mit Blick auf die Insel Brijuni. Meine Kinder liebten den Pool, von früh bis spät. Und wir haben das Wellnessangebot genossen.

Marina Ćosić

14:59 12 Mar 23

We've had truly a beautiful time and stay at Villa Santa Margherita during our visit to Istria. Location of the villa is stunning! Away from the crowd any time of the year it is placed in the middle of endless olive groves surrounding it and you can have full privacy and enjoy the silence during beautiful sunsets or sunrises. It is still very close to the main road to Fažana and Vodnjan which makes it perfect for family stay. The villa itself is beautiful both inside and outside, spacious and well designed with everything you need and rest completely. My favourite though - the wellness area and the outside pool where my kid enjoyed the most. A lot of love has been put in this villa by it's beautiful owners and I highly recommend it to anyone seeking both peace and silence alongside beaches and restaurants near.

Sandra Bašić

13:30 11 Mar 23

A wonderful extended weekend with the kids in Santa Margharita recharged our batteries. The view of Brijune leaves you breathless, the greenery of the olive groves exudes peace. The luxury of seclusion and superbly equipped Villa. Recommended for any season. Thank you to Lena and Paul for sharing their love and passion for olive growing with us.

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