This year only 76 olive oils were entered into the SA Olive Awards, compared to 100 odd last year. This is likely due to the low yielding olive harvest this year. Most producers suffered from a lower yield than usual, some were affected more badly than others but it is estimated that the yield was almost 50% down from last year. When this happens, bigger producers will buy olives from smaller producers to ensure they can meet their order pipeline. This means less smaller producers with olive oils to enter into the competition.
Another surprise this year was that 10 oils did not receive any award at all. This is the highest number in recent years as the quality of oils has been steadily improving. Perhaps this is because, for the first time, there was an international taster on the panel. Mauro Amelio works closely as a tutor, taster and scientific advisor for the National Organization of Olive Oil Tasters(ONAOO) in his native Italy. He has been dealing with physical-chemical quality control, sensory evaluation and the manufacturing process of a leading Italian olive oil company for many years. Amelio is also the co-author of several scientific papers on methods to analyse olive oils.
It is possible that Mauro Amelio has lifted the level of the judging, bringing with him the latest tools and techniques being used in other parts of the world.
Below are the awards, listed alphabetically per award with the category in parenthesis at the end of each entry.
Gold
Cederberg Olives Olive Oil – Cederberg Olives Extra Virgin Olive Oil Frantoio (Delicate)
Muiskraal – Muiskraal Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Delicate)
Porterville Olives – Andante Delicate Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Delicate)
Gabrielskloof – Gabriëlskloof Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Groote Vallei – Groote Vallei Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Rio Largo Olive Estate – Rio Largo Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Tokara – Tokara Multi Varietal Fusion Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Tokara – Tokara Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Voordenberg Olive Estate – Olivi Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Willow Creek Olive Estate – Willow Creek Estate Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Willow Creek Olive Estate – Food Lovers Signature Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
L’Ormarins – L’Ormarins Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
Marbrin Farm – Marbrin Olive Growers Intense Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
Morgenster Estate – Morgenster Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
Mulderbosch Vineyards – Mulderbosch Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
Rio Largo Olive Estate – Rio Largo Premium Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
The Ou Pastorie – Cape Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
Silver
Pètra Olives – Pètra Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Delicate)
River Bend Farm – River Bend Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Delicate)
Saronsberg Cellar – Saronsberg Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Delicate)
Tokara – Tokara Mission Delicate Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Delicate)
Willow Creek Olive Estate – Nuy Valley Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Delicate)
Adamskloof – Adamskloof Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Babylonstoren – Babilonstoren Extra Suiwer Olyfolie (Medium)
Bakenshoogte – Bakenshoogte Suiwer Natuurlike Olyfolie (Medium)
De Rustica Estate – De Rustica Estate Medium Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
De Rustica Estate – De Rustica Estate Mountain Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Foxenburg Est Cert Organic Olive Oil – Foxenburg Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Friesland Farm – Friesland Extra Vrigin Olive Oil (Medium)
Hemelrand – Hemelrand Farm Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Het Bos Olives – Het Bos Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Hidden Valley – Hidden Valley Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Kammanassie Blue – Kammanassie Blue Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Kleinbergskloof – Kleinbergskloof Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Marbrin Farm – Marbrin Olive Growers Medium Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Mardouw Olive Estate – Mardouw Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Mont Rouge Olive Estate – Mont Rouge Olive Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Olive Boutique – Olive Boutique Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Olyfberg – Olyfberg Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Prince Albert Olives – Prince Albert Olives Karoo Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Rio Largo Olive Estate – Rio Largo Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
River Bend Farm – River Bend Frantoio Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Terra Rossa – Napier – Terra Rossa – Napier Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Tokara – Tokara Frantoio Robust Intense Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Tokara – Tokara Leccino Medium Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Zonquasdrift Estates – Zonquasdrift Olio Extravergine Di Oliva (Medium)
De Rustica Estate – De Rustica Olive Estate Intense Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
Marbrin Farm – Marbrin Olive Growers Directors Res Intense Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
Morgenster Estate – Morgenster Don Carlo Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
Olijvenhof Olive Estate – Olijvenhof Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
Porterville Olives – Andante Intenso Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
Willow Creek Olive Estate – Willow Creek Directors’ Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
Bronze
De Rustica Estate – De Rustica Estate Delicate Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Delicate)
Hillcrest Estate Durbanville – Hillcrest Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Delicate)
Kadimah Olive Estate – Kadima Salubre Delicate Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Delicate)
Marbrin Farm – Marbrin Olive Growers Delicate Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Delicate)
Zonderend – Zonderend Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Delicate)
Zonderend – Zonderend Delicate Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Delicate)
Anysbos – Anysbos Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Kadimah Olive Estate – Kadima Lourdes Medium Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Mount Ceder – Mount Ceder Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
NoMu – NoMu Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Oudewerfskloof Olive Farm – Oudewerfskloof Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Porterville Olives – Andante Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
River Bend Farm – River Bend Mission Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Oakhurst Olives – Oakhurst Intense Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
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