Rizman Vina Awarded for Levantinka Monovarietal

Croatian producer Rizman Vina has won its first-ever Silver Award at the 2021 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, the world's most prestigious olive oil quality contest.

As we have been awarded in domestic and international competitions before, we can say that we are used to it. But each new award is the best incentive to persevere through quality.

Damir Štimac, owner

In the 2020/21 crop year, the company produced 1,000 liters of organic extra virgin olive oil in Dalmatia using traditional methods. Rizman Vina earned the Silver Award for its organic medium Levantinka.

"As we have been awarded in domestic and international competitions before, we can say that we are used to it," owner Damir Štimac said. "But each new award is the best incentive to persevere through quality, emphasizing indigenous varieties and characteristics of the area of ​​southern Dalmatia and our micro-location Komarna."

The producers behind Rizman Vina once again persevered through the region's ongoing drought and the usual challenges of organic cultivation to craft their award-winning oil.

"Certainly, drought in our area is an increasingly common challenge as is the timely watering of plants only for the purpose of preventing stress and blocking ripening," Štimac said. "Of course, there are always the challenges of protecting olives with limited tools in our organic production."

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.