Olivaia’s OLA Wins 3 Awards at 2023 NYIOOC

Olivaia’s OLA from the United States has won three awards at the 2023 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition.

For Olivaia’s OLA it is an even sweeter victory as it validates our effort to save and rehabilitate centennial trees that were going to be pulled for more lucrative crops.

Giulio Zavolta, owner

The Central California producer earned three Gold Awards for its medium OLA Estate Sevillano and two medium blends, OLA Block X Heirloom and OLA Block X Super Blend.

"It is a wonderful thing when all the hard work and attention to detail pays off with a rewarding extra virgin olive oil and an award to validate it," owner Giulio Zavolta said.

"For Olivaia’s OLA, it is an even sweeter victory as it validates our effort to save and rehabilitate centennial trees that were going to be pulled for more lucrative crops," he added. "Olives our part of our California history."

Since 2020, Olivaia’s OLA has won eight awards for four of its brands at the NYIOOC. In the 2022/23 crop year, using traditional methods, the company produced 1,750 liters of extra virgin olive oil from Sevillano, Manzanilla, Nocellara and wild olives.

"The California drought brought yet another low-yielding year," he said. "Trees with low amounts of olives are difficult to get picked."

"Combined with a labor shortage, it makes harvest somewhat discouraging," Zavolta added. "This magical moment, after farming a year with only one goal in mind, perfection, is then left in the hands of indifferent labor."

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 in the Official Guide to the World's Best Olive Oils.