Pillar Grove Estate Awarded for Galani of Chalkidiki Monocultivar

Greek producer Pillar Grove Estate has won a Silver Award at the 2021 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, the world's most prestigious olive oil quality contest.

We are most excited and very proud to be able to produce one of the world's best olive oils for the second consecutive year. Winning at the NYIOOC provides us with strength and fuels our ambition.

George Pananos, owner

The company produces extra virgin olive oil Metagkitsi, on the Chalkidiki peninsula of northeastern Greece, using traditional methods. Pillar Grove Estate won the Silver Award for its Daphnis and Chloe Selection, a medium Galani of Chalkidiki monocultivar.

"We are most excited and very proud to be able to produce one of the world's best olive oils for the second consecutive year," owner George Pananos said. "Winning at the NYIOOC provides us with strength and fuels our ambition to continue introducing our respected clientele to a truly natural and premium product with all of its health and gastronomical benefits alike."

As it was for many other producers, the Covid-19 pandemic created plenty of challenges for Pilar Grove Estate during the 2020/21 crop year.

"Cultivation and production was most challenging in 2020 due to pandemic," Pananos said. "We introduced and adhered to practices we never employed before. The safety of everyone involved was at the forefront."

"We experience higher costs related to harvesting and to shipping," he added. "Throughout the year, we remained true to our target of producing a premium quality product."

The NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, held each spring in New York, is the world's largest and 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 on the Official Index of the World's Best Olive Oils.