SIAL Canada’s Olive d’Or Competition Names Top Olive Oils

The eighth edition of the Olive d’Or competition, which took place as part of SIAL Canada 2013 at Toronto’s Direct Energy Centre April 30 to May 2, named nine winners in three categories.

The jury deliberated on April 25 and 26 to select the best extra-virgin olive oils from countries around the world. The winning olive oils received Gold, Silver or Bronze Drops honors in their respective categories. With more than 110 participating oils from more than 20 different countries, Olive d’Or is considered one of the most prestigious international extra-virgin olive oil contests in North America.

Winners in the Light category were Deprado from Deprado of Portugal (gold); El Empiedro Sca. Olivarera from La Purisima, Spain (silver); and Ol Istrai Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Agrolaguna D.D., Croatia (bronze). In the Medium category, winners were IGP Toscano Frantoio Franci from Frantoio Franci, Italy (gold); Senorio de Vizcantar from Aceites Vizcantar SL, Spain (silver); and Oro Bailen Reserva Familiar from Galgon 99, Spain (bronze). Intense category winners were Venta Del Baron from Almazara de Muela SL, Spain (gold); Parqueoliva Serie Oro from Almazaras de la Subbetica,  Spain (silver); and Rincon de la Subbetica Alamoda from Almazaras de la Subbetica, Spain (bronze).

The contest, organized as part of SIAL Canada, seeks to promote high-quality extra-virgin olive oils in the North American market and to give the show’s visitors the opportunity to discover products of exceptional quality. This project is a world tour for the palate, with oils from Chile, Canada, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Morocco, Portugal, Tunisia, Turkey, the United States and Algeria. Among the best-represented countries: Spain, Portugal and Greece together had more than half of all oils registered in the competition for 2013. This year, SIAL Canada welcomed new countries, including Australia, South Africa and Peru, to the Olive d’Or.

All the olive oils in the competition were tasted and graded according to the standards of the International Olive Council, by a jury composed of experts from the worlds of olive cultivation and gastronomy. The members of the international-caliber 2013 jury were: Christine Cheylan, president of the jury, France; Denise Langevin, president of Agroindustrial Nuevos Campos Limitada, Chile; Nick Hamilton, sommelier-conseil, Canada; Kevin Smith, president and co-publisher of Grocery Business, Canada; Mario Lalancette, nutritionist at Sobeys, Canada; and Jennifer Thornton, olive oil enthusiast, United States.