Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oils Win Awards in Los Angeles

Details: Published: 01 March 2018

Olea Groves landscape with olive groves, hills, and sea

Competing with 658 extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) from 371 producers representing 19 countries, Greek EVOOs took home numerous quality and design awards at this year’s Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition. Several of the top Greek winners explained what this means to them and how they managed to produce such excellent olive oils.

OleaJuice earned a Gold Medal for their delicate OleaJuice Red, a Silver Medal for their robust OleaJuice Black with Cool Center, and a Bronze medal for their delicate OleaJuice Pink, all from the Peloponnese. They also captured a Silver Design Award for their series of changing designs that carry a theme or brand identity across several cultivars. Ritsi Frances told Greek Liquid Gold he values these awards since they reassure his team that they are “all doing a good job.”

As always, the OleaJuice team irrigated their Manaki and Koroneiki trees, “looking after each olive tree all year round, hand picking and sorting, harvesting at the right time before the rain starts in October.” Frances believes they are “the only company that peels the skin and removes the pits from each olive,” so that any pesticides brought to their unsprayed trees by the winds will not get into their EVOO. They extract oil from their olives at the unusually low temperature of 19 degrees Celsius and control the entire process, “from the tree to … the sales!”

Papadopoulos Olive Oil won a Gold Medal for their Mythocia Olympia PGI Early Harvest and a Silver Medal for their Mythocia Olympia PGI Organic Koroneiki, both medium intensity EVOOs. Having already won two Extra Golds at Biolnovello in Italy, Konstantinos Papadopoulos says his team is “excited about winning two more awards for this harvesting season.”

Papadopoulos adds, “but for us, participating in competitions and winning are a way to prove to our customers and consumers our stability in quality year after year, and to offer them some of the best olive oils in the world.” A dedicated team of farmers and their own olive oil extraction and packaging facilities give Papadopoulos Olive Oil control of all phases of production, allowing them to oversee every detail. Papadopoulos credits his team’s passion, knowledge, and technical expertise for their olive oil’s excellence and their growing list of awards.

Oliorama captured a Gold Medal for the medium Oliorama Exclusive PGI Olympia and a Silver Medal for the medium Oliorama Exclusive Bio-Organics PGI Olympia. Maria Spiliakopoulou tries to enter her EVOOs in as many competitions as possible in order to increase consumers’ awareness of her products in as many different countries as she can, and the result is an impressive collection of awards after just a few years.

Before competing, Oliorama follows the advice of scientists to produce the healthiest possible olives, to harvest them properly, and to extract their oil in the best way, with careful attention to every step in olive oil production. “We insist on quality, no matter what.” Spiliakopoulou believes quality will determine the future of Greek olive oil. To her, every effort is worth it, because “Greek extra virgin olive oil deserves it.”

Yanni’s Olive Grove collected a Silver Medal for quality and a Gold Color and Type Design Award for their medium Yanni’s Family Chalkidiki Early Harvest EVOO, as well as a Bronze Medal for quality and a Silver Design Award in the Olive Branch category for their medium Yanni’s Finest Wild Chalkidiki Early Harvest EVOO. Evi Psounou Prodromou considers awards like these “the greatest reward for all the efforts of the previous year” as well as “the best sales credentials and excellent quality introductions for our EVOOS.”

Prodromou told Greek Liquid Gold that her team both follows the rules of the International Olive Council and tries to improve “by applying innovative cultivation practices.” During the past three years, Yanni’s was the first to apply the “Gaia Sense” intelligent agriculture practices to olive groves, and Prodromou explains that “gave us the opportunity to reduce our EVOO prices and to increase their quality.” Prodromou reports, “We look only ahead! This is the most difficult way to the top, but we try to learn as much as we can from the scientific community and from leaders in the olive oil business. Education is the key to success, and a strong will is the true power that keeps a person going.”

The “public unveiling – and tasting” of the winners will take place on Saturday, June 23 at Cheers, Los Angeles’s wine, spirits, beer, and food festival, in Pomona, California. See the complete list of Greek olive oil quality awards below.

LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL COMPETITION 2018

GREEK WINNERS (Olive Oil Quality)

Awards By Country – Greece

(in alphabetical order by producer’s name)

LACONIKO
Bronze Medal Delicate, Koroneiki, Olio Nuovo, Peloponnese

LIOKAREAS
Bronze Medal Flavored, Lemon, Late Harvest Kalamata

MAKARIA TERRA
Silver Medal Medium, Koroneiki, Messina

MER DES OLIVIERS DE DELPHES
Bronze Medal Robust, Amfissis, Greece 2017

MYTHOCIA OLYMPIA PGI
Gold Medal Medium, Early Harvest, Olympia PGI 2018

MYTHOCIA OLYMPIA PGI
Silver Medal Medium, Organic Koroneiki, Olympia PGI 2018

NEOLEA
Bronze Medal Delicate, Koroneiki, Greece

OLEAJUICE
Gold Medal Delicate, Red, Peloponnese

OLEAJUICE
Silver Medal Robust, Black with Cool Center, Peloponnese

OLEAJUICE
Bronze Medal Delicate, Pink, Peloponnese

OLIORAMA EXCLUSIVE
Gold Medal Medium, PGI Olympia 2017

OLIORAMA EXCLUSIVE
Silver Medal Medium, Bio-Organics, PGI Olympia 2017

OLYMPIAN GREEN
Bronze Medal Medium, Koroneiki, Traditional, Greece

OLYMPIAN GREEN
Bronze Medal Robust, Koroneiki, Greece

THE KOTSONIS ESTATE
Silver Medal Medium, 3000 BC, Greece 2017

YANNI'S FAMILY
Silver Medal Medium, Chalkidiki, Early Harvest, Greece

YANNI'S FINEST
Bronze Medal Medium, Wild Chalkidiki, Early Harvest, Greece

Awards by Division Class

(including those listed above, in the appropriate categories, with design awards noted parenthetically where appropriate)

Greece, Mono Cultivar

SILVER MEDAL
Hellenic Fields Medium, Pure Drop, PGI Olympia 2018
Makaria Terra Medium, Koroneiki, Messina
Mythocia Olympia PGI Medium, Organic Koroneiki, Olympia PGI 2018
The Kotsonis Estate Medium, 3000 BC, Greece 2017
Yanni's Family Medium, Chalkidiki, Early Harvest, Greece [Design award: Gold - Color & Type]

BRONZE MEDAL
1000 Horia Medium, Koroneiki, Messinia
Ktima Louiza Medium, Koroneiki, Premium Organic, Greece [Design award: Bronze - Design Standard]
Laconiko Delicate, Koroneiki, Olio Nuovo, So Peloponnese
Mer des Oliviers de Delphes Robust, Amfissis, Greece 2017
Olympian Green Robust, Koroneiki, Greece
Olympian Green Medium, Koroneiki, Traditional, Greece
Yanni's Finest Medium, Wild Chalkidiki, Early Harvest, Greece [Design award: Silver - Olive Branch]

Greece, Blends

GOLD MEDAL

Mythocia Olympia PGI Medium, Early Harvest, Olympia PGI 2018
OleaJuice Delicate, Red, Peloponnese [Design award: Silver – Series]
Oliorama Exclusive Medium, PGI Olympia 2017

SILVER MEDAL

ALSEA Medium, Classic, Greece
OleaJuice Robust, Black with Cool Center, Peloponnese [Design award: Silver – Series]
Oliorama Exclusive Medium, Bio-Organics, PGI Olympia 2017

BRONZE MEDAL
OleaJuice Delicate, Pink, Peloponnese [Design award: Silver – Series]

Greece, Islands Mono Cultivar

BRONZE MEDAL
Acaia Medium, Kolovi, Lesvos
Neolea Delicate, Koroneiki, Greece [Design award: Silver – Traditional]

Greece, Islands Blends

GOLD MEDAL
Jordan Olivenoel Delicate, Bio, Nativ Extra, Lesvos

Flavored Oils: Lemon

BRONZE MEDAL
Liokareas Flavored, Lemon, Late Harvest Kalamata

Flavored Blends

SILVER MEDAL
Ariston Specialties Flavored, Pesto, Greece
___________

Thanks to Yanni’s Olive Grove for the introductory photo and to OleaJuice for the large photo at the top of the article.

Comments

Selected Future Events

NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition (New York International Olive Oil Competition)
New York, USA. Only extra virgin olive oils will be considered. Samples are due by April 1, 2024 for Northern Hemisphere entries; Southern Hemisphere samples will be accepted July 1 to October 1, 2024. See the website for detailed instructions and information.

Selected Past Events

Olympia Health & Nutrition Awards Honor High Phenolic EVOOs
The 9th Olympia Health & Nutrition Awards ceremony continued the international recognition of high phenolic extra virgin olive oil and its health benefits.
Greek Producers Celebrate Successful Finish to Historically Low Harvest
"Farmers and millers in Greece earned 56 awards at the 2024 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition after the worst harvest in a decade."
Buoyed by Bountiful Harvest, High Prices, Greek Producers Celebrate a Strong Showing in New York
"With 90 awards earned at the 2023 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, producers from Greece reaffirmed their devotion to quality."
Greek Producers Enjoy Another Triumphant Showing in World Competition
"Despite a challenging harvest season, producers, farmers and bottlers from across Greece combined to earn a total of 79 awards at the 2022 NYIOOC."
Producers Across Greece Continue to Celebrate NYIOOC Triumphs
"Winners from Greece continue to share their enthusiasm for their record number of NYIOOC awards, a sign that the Greek olive oil sector is alive and well."
Producers from Peloponnese Shine at NYIOOC World Competition
Nice vignettes by Costas Vasilopoulos featuring a few of the Greek winners at the New York International Olive Oil Competition.
Greek Olive Oils Rank among Contest’s Top Ten Healthy EVOOs
Four Greek olive oil companies were ranked among the top ten healthy extra virgin olive oils at the unusual World’s Best Healthy EVOO Contest in Spain.
In Record Haul, 99 Greek Brands Awarded at World Olive Oil Competition
"With the highest ever turnout from Greece, producers from Crete were among the most successful at this year’s NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition."
Best Olive Oils from Greece (NYIOOC 2020)
These are the Greek winners at the famous NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition for 2020. For more about some of the Greek winners, see also Greek Producers Achieve Record Wins at NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition and Greek Producers Continue to Celebrate Record Year at 2020 NYIOOC.
Greeks Discuss Effort and Dedication Behind NYIOOC Triumphs
In spite of poor weather and trouble with pests, Greek producers took home a total of 35 awards at the 2019 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition.
Greek Award Winners Already Looking to Repeat
"With the historically poor harvest season behind them, Greek producers who managed a win in New York are setting their sights on brand building and achieving consistent quality."
Cretan Olive Oil Competition Highlights Best Producers
The COOC has been instrumental in elevating the extra virgin olive oils produced in Crete; here are some of the brands to look out for.
Aristoleo Awards 2019 winners
A list of the very healthy, high phenolic winners of the Aristoleo Awards for extra virgin olive oil and table olives, with a chart showing different uses for olive oils according to their phenolic content.
More Greek Winners Reflect on Their NYIOOC Awards
Greek producers like these New York International Olive Oil Competition winners have studied modern olive oil production methods and engaged in the persistent efforts necessary to make some of the world's best olive oils.
54 Greek Olive Oils Awarded at NYIOOC
Costas Vasilopoulos spoke with several Greek winners at the 2018 New York International Olive Oil Competition, where Greece won more awards and more gold awards than it ever had before.
Kyklopas on top at the Kalamata Olive Oil Contest Awards
At the 4th Panhellenic Olive and Olive Oil Festival, which is organized by the Kalamata Agricultural Cooperative in cooperation with the regional and local government and other groups, important issues and food pairings were discussed, three people were honored for their contributions to the olive sector, and the Kalamata Olive Oil Awards were presented.
4th Cretan Olive Oil Competition Highlights Sophistication of Crete’s Oils
Thanks to science, experimental new methods and minute attention to detail, olive oil producers on Crete are forging new paths with an age-old product.
Aristoleo Awards 2018 (Results for High Phenolic Olive Oil)
The winners of these awards produce especially healthy, high phenolic extra virgin olive oils. This is a good list to check out for particularly spicy olive oils full of health benefits. Awards ceremony at the 2nd Annual Aristoleo Conference “The Future of Olive Oil,” April 27-28, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Healthy Greek Olive Oils Awarded at Convention in Spain
When the Oleocanthal International Society convened last month, healthy Greek extra virgin olive oils won several awards at the World Best Healthy EVOO Contest and the Health and Food Awards, and scientists discussed research related to olive oil polyphenols.
Beyond Organic Beyond Extra Virgin High Phenolic EVOOs Go Global
First notes and photos from Cyprus about the recent conference focused on ultra-healthy high phenolic extra virgin olive oils, with awards presented to some of the healthiest olive oils in the world, including many from Greece and others made by Greek Cypriots.
Greek Olive Oil Producers React to NYIOOC Wins
Producers, marketers, and exporters of this year's best Greek olive oils share what their New York International Olive Oil Competition awards mean to them, how they manage to produce olive oils good enough to earn top honors, and how this fits in with their company philosophies.
Aristoleo Awards 2017 “Tasted, Tested & True” Winners
"EVOOs were awarded by variety according 3 high phenolic types: Organic, Traditional, & Wild and based on the concentration of polyphenols in the 3 categories: TOTAL PHENOLS, OLEOCANTHAL & OLEACEIN, and OLEOCANTHAL." Many Greek EVOOs were winners.
3rd Cretan Olive Oil Competition: Impressive Results in a Difficult Year
The third edition of the competition had more entries and a higher percentage of organic olive oils than in previous years.
21 Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oils Win Great Taste Awards
Twenty-one Greek extra virgin olive oils and two Greek flavored olive oils received Great Taste Awards in the United Kingdom this year.
Ten Big Awards for Greek Olive Oils at OLIVINUS Competition
Seven Greek olive oil companies won 10 of the awards at one of the world’s most eminent extra virgin olive oil contests, the OLIVINUS competition in Argentina.
Olive Oil Innovations, Discoveries, and Breakthroughs in Ancient Olympia
The Oleocanthal International Society Conference and Olympia Health & Nutrition Awards featured breakthroughs in olive oil research, a new olive tree varietal, and an olive oil competition for high-phenolic oils.
Los Angeles Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards: Awards by Country
Here is a list of award-winning companies from the 2016 Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition. Notice, for example Village Batch’s Best of Class Gold Medal and the Gold Medals of PJ Kabos (2 of them) and Laconiko.
Producers of the Best Greek Olive Oils React to Their NYIOOC Awards
Award-winning Greek producers discuss their reactions to the New York International Olive Oil Competition results and their efforts to produce the best olive oils in the world.
World’s Best Olive Oils 2016: Search Results for Greece
Here is a list of award-winning Greek companies from the 2016 New York International Olive Oil Competition (where some non-Greek companies happen to show up). See the article above for more details about the top Greek winners.
BIOL 2016 International Competition for Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oils
Toward the bottom of this page, you’ll find the lists of Silver, Gold, and Extra Gold medals for this competition in Puglia, Italy in March, with Greek companies on each list under the country “Grecia.” Note that Kyklopas, Olvia Green, and Mythocia won Extra Gold Medals.
2nd Olive Oil Competition Highlights Cretan Brands
The 2nd Cretan Olive Oil Competition took place March 19 to 20 in Rethymno, Crete, awarding prizes for the best standardized conventional and organic Cretan extra virgin olive oils from the 2015-16 production season.
Kotinos International Olive Oil Competition
If you click on the final word at the end of the paragraph on the linked page, it will take you to a list—unfortunately only in Greek—of the winners of the 2016 Kotinos competition in Athens.
Crete Gets its Own Olive Oil Competition
The first Cretan Olive Oil Competition (in 2015) sought to promote high-quality Cretan olive oil brands and the special characteristics of the best Cretan olive oils, to improve their position in the local and global markets, and to upgrade the overall quality of Cretan oils by developing the expertise of participants.

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