Horse Rock Olive Oil, the small-batch estate-grown olive oil brand based on the White family’s ranch near St. Helena, continues its production of certified extra virgin olive oil from approximately 50 olive trees on the property. The brand operates at deliberately small scale, producing two to three tons of olives per harvest, which is bottled in Glen Ellen, Sonoma Valley.
Founded and led by CEO Celeste White, with her husband Dr. Robert White as co-principal, Horse Rock represents a single-origin estate olive oil approach in a region whose agricultural identity is closely tied to wine production. The brand’s small scale is intentional. Estate-grown means all olives come from the same property where the brand operates, distinguishing the product from blended or multi-source olive oils.
The trees on the Horse Rock property survived the Atlas Peak Fire. The brand cites this survival as central to its identity and to the continuity of the family’s stewardship of the land. The story of the trees’ survival is part of how Horse Rock positions itself: as a brand rooted in continuity, place, and the deliberate practice of small-scale agriculture.
The family ranch sits near St. Helena, in a region whose agricultural identity has been shaped by generations of producers operating at scales ranging from large vineyards to small artisan enterprises. Horse Rock joins the latter category. The brand’s choice to remain at small scale reflects an approach to olive oil production that prioritizes the character of the specific property over the economics of larger-volume production.
The certified extra virgin classification reflects compliance with industry standards for unrefined olive oil produced through mechanical means without chemical processing. Extra virgin certification requires specific acidity thresholds and defined sensory characteristics. Horse Rock’s product meets these standards through its small-batch production approach.
Horse Rock Olive Oil is sold directly to consumers through the brand’s website. The direct-to-consumer model fits the brand’s scale and reflects the kind of distribution typical of estate-grown agricultural enterprises that operate at boutique production volumes.
White’s professional record extends beyond Horse Rock. She is the founder and chair of Lux Forum, a St. Helena thought-leadership organization, and has served on the Westmont College Board of Trustees since 2011. She served as U.S. Pony Club District Commissioner for 17 years and is involved with The Salvation Army, Young Life, Hospice, Queen of the Valley Hospital, the Napa Valley Education Foundation Board, and Ag 4 Youth. Additional details about her work across enterprise and civic service are available at celestewhite.org.
About Horse Rock Olive Oil
Horse Rock Olive Oil is a small-batch estate-grown olive oil brand founded on the White family ranch near St. Helena, California. Approximately 50 olive trees produce two to three tons of olives per harvest, bottled in Glen Ellen and certified extra virgin.
About Celeste White
Celeste White is CEO and owner of Horse Rock Olive Oil, founder and chair of Lux Forum, a member of the Westmont College Board of Trustees, and a longtime Napa Valley resident.