Cultura Viva Wins Gold for ‘Le Clarisse’ Umbrian Blend

Cultura Viva from Italy has won its second-ever Gold Award at the 2023 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, the world's largest olive oil quality contest.

We are incredibly happy and proud of this award because it was achieved through a continuous, relentless effort every day of the year.

Laurence Deprez Zenezini, co-owner

The Umbrian producer earned the award for its Le Clarisse brand, an organic medium blend of Frantoio, Leccino and Moraiolo olives. Le Clarisse also earned a Gold Award in 2022.

"We are incredibly happy and proud of this award because it was achieved through a continuous, relentless effort every day of the year," co-owner Laurence Deprez Zenezini said. "And every day, we thank our beautiful trees for their gift."

In the 2022/23 crop year, Cultura Viva produced 500 liters of extra virgin olive oil using traditional methods. Deprez Zenezini said her secret to overcoming the challenges associated with the harvest is to treat the trees like family.

"We care for our olive trees like family, and we feel our role is to protect and pass them along, healthy and strong, to our descendants," she said.

"Although last year was very challenging with extremely high temperatures and almost no rain for months, our secular trees have remained strong and gifted us with an incredible production," Deprez Zenezini added.

The NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition held each spring in New York, is the world's most prestigious olive oil contest. Its annual listing of award winners is considered the authoritative guide to the year’s best extra virgin olive oils.

The complete list of winners can be viewed in the Official Guide to the World's Best Olive Oils.