Hawkes Bay olive producer Ellsgrove has won the trophy for the country’s best oil at the annual New Zealand Gourmet Oil Competition. The event was judged this week in Christchurch, awarding the trophy to Ellsgrove Extra Virgin Leccino.
Ellsgrove’s leccino oil, grown at Maraekakaho, took the trophy ahead of five other gold medal winning oils. In total five gold medals, 18 silver and 15 bronze were awarded by the judges from a record group of 55 entries from around the country.
“All gold olive oils show the quality that New Zealand can produce; all are outstanding. The competition was very close in terms of quality. This season’s we found a little milder in style with great balance and a smooth full finish,” commented judge Nik Mavromatis of the Mediterranean Food Company.
Hawkes Bay grown oils dominated the gold medal winning category, winning three of the five awarded, with Marlborough taking one and Waiheke Island the other.
The gold medal winners were as follows;
Ellsgrove EVOO Leccino, Hawkes Bay
Esk Valley Olives EVOO, Hawke’s Bay
Matapiro Olives Smooth EVOO, Hawke’s Bay
Rangihoua Estate Picual EVOO, Waiheke Island
Uncle Joe’s Walnut Oil, Marlborough
The trophy winners were;
Best in Show – Ellsgrove EVOO Leccino, Hawke’s Bay
Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Medium, Ellsgrove EVOO Leccino, Hawke’s Bay
Best Walnut Oil – Uncle Joe’s Walnut Oil, Marlborough
Silver medals;
Antipode EVOO, Marlborough
Bella Olea – Barnea, Wairarapa
Clements Estate EVOO, Canterbury
Esk Valley Olives Lemon Infused Olive Oil, Hawke’s Bay
Esk Valley Olives Lime Infused Olive Oil, Hawke’s Bay
Greytown Gold EVOO, Wairarapa
Huangarua EVOO Frantoio, Pendolino & Leccino, Wairarapa
Matapiro Olives Intense EVOO, Hawke’s Bay
Matapiro Olives Subtle EVOO, Hawke’s Bay
Molive Gold EVOO, Martinborough
Mt Grey EVOO, Canterbury
Nutlands Hazelnut Oil, Invercargill
Olea Estate EVOO, Wairarapa
Robrian Estate Premium Blend EVOO, Marlborough
Telegraph Hill Barnea/Manzanillo EVOO, Hawke’s Bay
Uncle Joe’s Hazelnut Oil, Marlborough
Villa Grove Estate EVOO, Nelson
Wairarapa Gold EVOO ,Wairarapa
Bronze medals went to;
Cairnmuir Olives Pisa Blend EVOO, Central Otago
Cairnmuir Olives Tuscan Blend EVOO, Central Otago
Ellsgrove EVOO J5, Hawke’s Bay
Esk Valley Olives Late Harvest EVOO, Hawke’s Bay
Hazelz Hazelnut Oil, Canterbury
Huangarua EVOO Barnea & Manzanillo, Wairarapa
Hunter’s EVOO, Blenheim
ManO’War EVOO, Waiheke Island
Moutere Grove Organic EVOO, Nelson
Olivado Avocado Zest, Kerikeri
Rangihoua Estate Frantoio Bland EVOO, Waiheke Island
Rangihoua Estate Waiheke Blend EVOO, Waiheke Island
Simunovich Olive Estate Frantoio EVOO, Auckland
The Dry Olive EVOO, Marlborough
Telegraph Hill Leccino EVOO, Hawke’s Bay
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