Olivaia Celebrates NYIOOC Win

Olivaia, from the United States, has won a Silver Award for its medium blend at the 2020 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition.

For a small producer who is committed to saving some centenary trees and also experimenting with unique and original California olives, it is confirmation that the hard work and all the heart that goes into doing what we do is worth it.

Giulio Zavolta, owner

In the 2019/20 season, the California-based company produced 2,000 liters extra virgin olive oil from Mission, Nevedillo Blanca, Sevillano and Manzanillo olives using traditional methods.

"For a small producer who is committed to saving some centenary trees and also experimenting with unique and original California olives, it is confirmation that the hard work and all the heart that goes into doing what we do is worth it," owner Giulio Zavolta said.

He added that 2019 was the best year, in terms of quantity, for his groves, which brought both rewards and challenges.

"The 2019 crop was the heaviest ever for our grove," Zavolta said. "That was both good and bad. It became hard to manage the quality of the olives."

The NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, held each spring in New York, is the world's largest and most prestigious olive oil contest and 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