(FORTUNE Small Business) – California's Olive Oil is about where its wine was 20 years ago: A few small producers are making great products, yet many consumers still think the best stuff comes from Europe. The U.S. imports about 64 million gallons of olive oil each year, while California produces less than 1% of that amount. But the state's climate and soil are ideal for olives, and some domestic oils have been winning converts. Here are three worth trying.

McEVOY RANCH: Nan McEvoy's family launched the San Francisco Chronicle in 1865 and still owns Chronicle Books. She served on the board until 1995, then launched her olive oil ranch (a happy accident--she didn't know the property was zoned for agriculture until she bought it). Today McEvoy, 85, has 18,000 olive trees and was recently named Bon Appétit's 2003 Food Artisan of the Year. Her ranch uses a special Italian mill called a frantoio, which gently extracts the oil, leaving no trace of bitterness. It's the only one of its kind in the U.S. $20 for 375 milliliters; 707-778-2307; mcevoyranchstore.com

STELLA CADENTE: For years Sue Ellery, 55, split her time between running an olive ranch and helping launch a tech startup called Steeleye Technology. She left Steeleye in 2000 to focus on the olives, and she and her husband, Tom Hunter, now have 1,300 trees (many bought from Nan McEvoy), which produce about 1,000 gallons a year. In 2003 their L'Autunno blend was named Best Domestic Oil at the Los Angeles County Fair, the most noted tasting contest in the U.S. $18 for 375 milliliters; 707-895-2848; stellacadente.com

STORM OLIVE RANCH: Bonnie Storm, 58, set up her ranch in 1992 with 1,000 olive trees imported from Tuscany and has since grown another 200. Located 11 miles north of Napa, Storm gets hotter summers and cooler winters, giving her oil a more intense flavor. Want proof? In 2000 it won the L'Orciolo d'Oro, a prestigious tasting contest in Italy, where it beat out the best European oils. $20 for 375 milliliters; 800-676-7176; katzandco.com --ERIN STROUT