A TASMANIAN olive oil producer has proven the state takes its oil production seriously by winning the Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil of Show at the 2018 Australian International Olive Awards this month.
Cradle Coast Olives won the top award, earning the judges’ highest score for its “Essence of the Cradle” South Australian Verdale varietal extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).
Beating a strong field of gold-medal winning entries, Cradle Coast owners Carol and Tony O’Neill took home a swag of trophies for Essence of the Cradle, including Champion Mild EVOO, Best Tasmanian EVOO, Best Australian EVOO and Best Southern Hemisphere EVOO, along with the Champion Medium EVOO award for their Paragon varietal.
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Joining them as major category winners were Gooramadda Olives, which won the Best Table Olive of Show and Best Table Olive Southern Hemisphere awards for its Kalamata, and Kyneton Olive Oil, which took home Best Flavoured Olive Oil of Show for its Basil Agrumato.
Spanish producer, Goya, championed in both oil and table olive categories, taking the Best EVOO Northern Hemisphere award for its Goya "Unico" and the Best Table Olive Northern Hemisphere for its Manzanilla Stuffed with Minced Hot Pepper.
The awards were held in conjunction with the 2018 AOA National Olive Conference & Trade Exhibition in Wagga Wagga, NSW.
Competition chief steward, Trudie Michels, said this year’s results were a testament to the continuing commitment to increasing quality across the industry.
“Last year’s very successful show saw medals awarded to 87 per cent of entries, which was a record for the 21 years of the Australian competition,” she said.
“This year an incredible 96pc of entries were awarded a medal, raising the quality bar to a completely new level.
“Of the 145 medals awarded in this year’s extra virgin olive oil competition, 30 were gold (27 in 2017), 69 silver (69 in 2017) and 46 bronze (46 in 2017).
“The increase in gold medals and the large number of silver medals highlights a stronger focus on oil quality, as does the average score across all oils - 78.67, which equates to a solid silver.
“It reinforces our findings from last year, with the new benchmark in this competition now set at medium-high silver, where in the past it has been a bronze.
“It is fulfilling to see the industry working hard to raise quality and produce more of these higher-class oils, and wonderful to see producers being rewarded for those efforts.”
Ms Michels said that while the quality reflected that of last year’s “outstanding year”, there were several notable differences to this year’s spread of entries – and winners.
“Of particular interest was a substantial increase in the number of more robust oils entered this year, compared to last year where mild and medium oil numbers were greater,” she said.
“It was also notable that all but one of the eight EVOO Champion of Class awards went to single varietal oils, and each of those seven were different varieties.
“It shows we’re choosing varieties well suited to our climates, and growing them all well, and also that we’re increasingly recognising and celebrating the flavour nuances of the individual varieties.”
RESULTS
- Champion Table Olives – Green Olives – Cicada Pty Ltd (Ed & Emma Vercoe)
- Champion Table Olives – Medley of Olives – Alto Olives (Robert Armstrong)
- Champion Table Olives – Kalamata Olives – Gooramadda Olives (Robert Whyte)
- Champion Table Olives – Wild Olives – Mount Zero Olives (Richard Seymour)
- Champion Table Olives – Dried Olives – Salute Oliva (Marlies & Peter Eicher)
- Champion Table Olives – Stuffed Olives – GOYA EN ESPAÑA S.A.U (Philippe Parouty)
- Champion Flavoured and or Infused Olive Oil – Homeleigh Grove (Peter O’Clery)
- Champion Agrumato Olive Oil – Bylands Estate T/A Kyneton Olive Oil (Robert Inturrisi)
- Champion Mild Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Cradle Coast Olives (Carol & Tony O’Neil)
- Champion Medium Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Cradle Coast Olives (Carol & Tony O’Neil)
- Champion Robust Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Lentara Grove (Martin Grace)
- Champion Non-Packaged (Bulk) Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Nasmin Pty Ltd (Lorri Hands)
- Champion Spanish Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Grassy Spur Olives (Helen Wright)
- Champion Italian Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Cape Schanck Olive Estate (Stephen Tham)
- Champion Greek Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Romley Estate (Monica Parvin)
- Champion Other Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Longnan Xiangyu Olives Development Co.,L (Fresca King)
- Best New South Wales/ACT Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Hannaford Olive Oil (David Hannaford)
- Best South Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Romley Estate (Monica Parvin)
- Best Tasmanian Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Cradle Coast Olives (Carol & Tony O’Neil)
- Best Victorian Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Nullamunjie Olive Oil (Annetta Paterson)
- Best Western Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Chapman River Olives (Russell Lewis)
- Best Australian Table Olive – Gooramadda Olives (Robert Whyte)
- Best Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Cradle Coast Olives (Carol & Tony O’Neil)
- Best Table Olive Northern Hemisphere – GOYA EN ESPAÑA S.A.U (Philippe Parouty)
- Best Table Olive Southern Hemisphere – Gooramadda Olives (Robert Whyte)
- Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil Northern Hemisphere – GOYA EN ESPAÑA S.A.U (Philippe Parouty)
- Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil Southern Hemisphere – Cradle Coast Olives (Carol & Tony O’Neil)
- Best Table Olive of Show – Gooramadda Olives Kalamata (Robert Whyte)
- Best Flavoured Olive Oil of Show – Bylands Estate T/A Kyneton Olive Oil Basil Agrumato (Robert Inturrisi)
- Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil of Show – Cradle Coast Olives Essence of the Cradle (Carol & Tony O’Neil)
Full results are available at: www.internationaloliveawardsaustralia.com.au
