SA Olive Awards winners for 2019

From the back (left to right): Mike-Alec Kearney (Lapithos Olive Growers), Lizelle Joubert (Oakhurst Olives), Danie Goosen (Wildekrans), Quintus le Roux (Anysbos Olywe), Klaas Stoffberg (Babylonstoren), Louis Karsten (Babylonstoren), Gerhard du Toit (PG Fruit), Waldo Kellerman (Vigne d’Or), Gert van Dyk (Tokara), Stephan Steenkamp (Avenue Park (Pty) Ltd)

Front: Nicole Koen (Darling Olives), Chris van Niekerk (Mardouw), Andre Verder (Mardouw), Daniel Munzvenga (Zoetigheyd Farms), Willie Duminy (Porterville Olives), Joop Steenkamp (De Rustica Estate), Federica Bertrand (Morgenster)

About the SA Olive Awards

The SA Olive Awards were created to honour the olive oil industry in South Africa. The competition will only accept registrations from entrants with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) produced in the current season exclusively. Entries must be 100% South African and made by South African producers registered with SA Olive.

A panel of international and local taste experts, led by an international panel leader, congregates on South African soil to judge and give CTC certified oils the gold, silver or bronze stamp of taste excellence. Consumer confidence is the key to building a strong industry both locally and globally, and the Awards therefore focuses on maintaining the quality promise to consumers.

Oils are individually blind-tasted and rated over a period of four days. Blue hued glasses, shaped to create the best sensory experience, were used in an environment that was temperature-controlled, as well as devoid as possible of any interfering environmental factors.

All participating oils were locally-produced by SA Olive members.

These are South Africa's best olive oils

27 Aug 2018

Quality amid challenges

The total of 93 oils, the same count as in 2018, entered into the 2019 SA Olive awards is proof of South African olive oil producers’ tenacity to make things work no matter the circumstances. A knack for innovating and a modern approach to making olive oil have once again pulled the SA olive oil industry through a season of challenging climatic conditions. The knock-on effect of the drought and the varying temperatures during the fruit set period did not dampen the industry’s spirit, or lower the overall quality of the 2019 awards’ entries.

Both the local and international tasting judges praised the quality of the EVOOs entered into the competition. Multiple gold winners this year were Babylonstoren, De Rustica Estate, Mardouw Investments, Morgenster, Oakhurst Olives and Porterville Olives.

The top accolade in the SA Olive mentorship programme, the Mentorship Award, went to Piet Visser from Olyfberg. The SA Olive mentorship programme is in its twelfth year of developing and nurturing young talent in the olive industry.

Delicate EVOO Gold medal winners

Darling Olives: Darling Olives EVOO
Lapithos Olive Growers: Lapithos Olive Growers - Pure
Oakhurst Olives: Oakhurst Delicate

Medium EVOO Gold medal winners

Anysbos Olywe: Anysbos EVOO
Avenue Park (Pty) Ltd: Cape EVOO
Babylonstoren: Babylonstoren Don Carlo and Babylonstoren Coratina
De Rustica Estate: Estate Medium snd Estate Collection: Frantoio
Mardouw Investments: Mardouw Oil of the Olive
Morgenster: Morgenster EVOO and Morgenster Don Carlo
Oakhurst Olives: Oakhurst Medium
PG Fruit: PG Fruit EVOO
Porterville Olives: Andante Intenso, Andante Forte and Andante Mezzo
Tokara: Tokara Multi Varietal
Vigne d’Or: Vigne d’Or EVOO
Wildekrans: Wildekrans Keerweer EVOO
Zoetigheyd Farms: Daniel’s Delish

Intense EVOO Gold medal winners

De Rustica Estate: Estate Intense and Estate Collection: Coratina
Mardouw Investments: XXV Intense
Olive Boutique: Olive Boutique Coratina

For the silver and bronze medal winners and for more info on the SA Olive Awards, visit SA Olive online.