Olive oil with an expiration date?

[KathyP]

I purchased Tibvrtini olive oil from a food website recently. It's EVOO, first cold pressing, organically grown and unfiltered. The label states "use within 18 months of bottling date." The bottling date was 2002. I'm now at the end of 18 months and have half a bottle remaining. It tastes fine to me. But what is the rationale for an 18 month expiration date? Love your show and loved your pizza 'joint' last month.

[Mario Batali]

if you think it is good.... it is good they put the dates on good olive oils because in the italian opinion its flavor fades over time and it does... olives are harvested right after grapes in november usually and then immediately pressed and spun to create fresh oil called olio nuovo for the first 2 or 3 months when it is young and new it has a brighter color, more intense peppery finish and a more resolute component base you can taste the glycosides as well as the fruit and the whole kind of citric nose is present.. after , say, feb, the new oil is just regular oil and survives until the next harvest depending on storage, and it is light more than heat that causes decomposition, the oil loses a lot or a little of the intensity everyday, but is still good i know more than two tuscans who claim to stop using oil in october awaiting the arrival of the new crop, but when i ask what they use in its place to dresss their salad and everything else in the world they go mute.... your oil is as good as you need it to be use it with abandon mb