2010 Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards

The 2010 Olives New Zealand Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards were judged on 28 & 29 September and the results announced today 8 October.  Congratulations to all of the award winners.

			2010 Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards.
			"Best In Show"
Commercial	Medium Blend	Kapiti Extra Virgin Olive Oil	David and Helen Walshaw & Graeme and Chris Harris of Kapiti Olives	A lovely oil with hints of green tea and figs with underlying spearmint, the palate has floral notes	Kapiti	027 555 0111
			Best In Class - Boutique
			50 - 99 litres of productions
	Medium Blend	MAD EVOO	Leanne French and Greg Keith of Martinborough Art Department	Good olive fruit in aroma on palate.  Grassy, herbaceous characters, fresh, well balanced with subtle pepper	Martinborough	06 3066377
	Intense Blend	Frog's End Blend	Peter Couborough	Spicy Floral kind of jasmine. It had a complex palate, aromatic peppery, chilli finish	Nelson	03 544 0570
	Intense Single Variety	Frog's End Koroneiki	Peter Couborough	Apple and lime on the nose with herbaceous flavour and lingering pepper finish	Nelson	4 544 0570
			Best in Class Commercial
			100 litres and above of production
	Light Blend	Matapiro Smooth	John Arthur - Matapiro Estate	Mature, Ripe olive with a floral component with tropical fuits, i.e. papaya.  Sweet on palate	Hawke's Bay	03 544 0570
	Light Single Variety	River Estate Frantoio	Barry Wade - Wells Grove Estate Limited	Herbaceous, with green bananas and apple,pleasing complexity	Auckland	09 5309180
Best in Show	Medium Blend	Kapiti Extra Virgin Olive Oil	David and Helen Walshaw & Graeme and Chris Harris	A lovely oil with hints of green tea and figs with underlying spearmint, the palate has floral notes	Kapiti
	Medium Single Variety	Toru Waiwai	David and Janet Prankerd of Toru Waiwai Olives	Pleasant aroma of mature oil, harmonious and well balanced Gentle in pungency and pleasant.	Kaiwaka; Northland	09 4314440
	Intense Blend	Matiatia Grove	Margaret Edwards of The Waiheke Olive Oil Company	Aroma herbaceous artichoke, sweetness balances bitterness length in the mouth	Waiheke Island	09 3576646
	Intense Single Variety	Lusatori	Roger and Sally Woolhouse	Grassy with floral notes, good pungency and persistance.	Marlborough	03 5727089
Gold Medal Awards
Boutique (50-99l)
	Light Blend	Not Awarded
	Light Single Variety	Not Awarded
Best in Class	Medium Blend	MAD EVOO	Leanne French and Greg Keith of Martinborough Art Department	Good olive fruit in aroma on palate.  Grassy, herbaceous characters, fresh, well balanced with subtle pepper	Martinborough
	Medium Single Variety	Not Awarded
Best in Class	Intense Blend	Frog's End Blend	Peter Coubrough	Spicy Floral kind of jasmine. It had a complex palate, aromatic peppery, chilli finish	Nelson
Best in Class	Intense Single Variety	Frog's End Koroneiki	Peter Coubrough	Apple and lime on the nose with herbaceous flavour and lingering pepper finish	Nelson
	Intense Single Variety	Hihi Olive Estate	Colin & Lynette Wilson	Well balanced oil, good length of pallete	Northland
Commercial (100l+)
	Light Blend	Robinson Bay Olives - Manzanillo	Chris Moore	Tropical aromas, harmonius with olive fruit, well balanced, light pepper, good complexity, flavours linger peper persists	Canterbury
Best in Class	Light Blend	Matapiro Estate	John Arthur	Mature, Ripe olive with a floral component with tropical fuits, i.e. papaya.  Sweet on palate	Hawke's Bay
Best in Class	Light Single Variety	River Estate Frantoio	Barry Wade - Wells Grove	Herbaceous, with green bananas and apple,pleasing complexity	Auckland
	Light Single Variety	River Estate Koroneiki	Barry Wade - Wells Grove	Relocated from Class 8 to Class 10 Floral with hints of green tea, long finish.	Auckland
	Light Single Variety	Divinity Olives Frantoio	Michael and Leanne Chinnery	Ripe cherry with floral on the nose , green banana and herbaceous,  very complex and persistent	Auckland
	Light Single Variety	Moutohora EVOO Piqual	Gerrit and Wil Kruithoes	green tomatoes hints of sage, lavender and eucalyptus, pleasing complexity	Whakatane
	Medium Blend	Matapiro Gold	John Arthur - Matapiro Estate	It was sweet, well balanced with very ripe fruits that’s Citrissey and tropical	Hawke's Bay
	Medium Blend	Glenora Estate	Nigel Marshall - Glenora	Lifted fruity aroma with green notes.  Balanced and complex palate with attractive roquette leaf bitterness	Waiheke Island
	Medium Blend	Atutahi - Barnea Blend	Peter and Ruth Graham	Aroma was Kiwifruit and pears with walnut.  A nice balance with green herbaceous peas	Martinborough
	Medium Blend	Atutahi - Frantoio/Leccino	Peter and Ruth Graham	Aroma was well balanced.  Green herbs in palate which was watercress and parsley	Martinborough
	Medium Blend	Molive Gold	Mike Cooper	Very floral nose underlying green salad, tomato.  Good Chilli pepper & mustard spice	Martinborough
	Medium Blend	Molive Gold Vicarage	Mike Cooper	Very floral - Jasmine, fresias, almond, marzipan.  Well Balanced with good olive fruit	Martinborough
	Medium Blend	McGiven Valley	Heather Seel	Aroma has almond cherries, some leaf and spearmint, the palate was robust	Auckland
Best in Show, Best in Class	Medium Blend	Kapiti Extra Virgin Olive Oil	David & Helen Walshaw and Graeme & Chris Harris	A lovely oil with hints of green tea and figs with underlying spearmint, the palate has floral notes	Otaki
	Medium Blend	Waimarama Olives - Piqual Blend	Paul & Jeanine Corke	Aroma was ripe tomato and almond.  The palate green banana and lavender	Hawke's Bay
	Medium Blend	Waimarama Olives - Barnea Blend	Paul & Jeanine Corke	this oil has floral green wood with a slight caramel and a health	Hawke's Bay
	Medium Blend	Stonevalley	Odell Sugrue	This oil green rocket, artichokes and fennel and a mild palate	Greytown
	Medium Blend	Toru Waiwai Cove Blend	David & Janet Prankerd	Fresh Olive fruit.  Citrus, asparagus on the palate. Subtle black pepper.	Northland
Best in Class	Medium Single Varietal	Toru Waiwai - Leccino	David & Janet Prankerd	Pleasant aroma of mature oil, harmonious and well balanced Gentle in pungency and pleasant.	Northland
Best in Class	Intense Blend	Matiatia Grove	Margaret and John Edwards - The Waiheke Olive Oil Company	Aroma herbaceous artichoke, sweetness balances bitterness length in the mouth	Waiheke Island
	Intense Blend	Grahame Taylor	Number 29	aroma contained artichoke, rocket, spearmint. It was very fragrant with a well balanced palate	Waiheke Island
	Intense Single Varietal	Rod & Gail Harford	Esk Valley Olives	Frantoio	Hawke's Bay
Best in Class	Intense Single Varietal	R & S Woolhouse	Lusatori	Koroneiki	Nelson
Silver Medal Awards
Boutique (50-99l)
	Light Blend	La Casa Toscana Sevillano Blend	Lionel &Gayle Sheriden		Akaroa	03 304 7355
	Light Single Varietal	Lot Nine - Frantoio	Jackie & Michael Waymouth		Northland	027 439 1142
	Light Single Varietal	La Casa Toscana Frantoio	Lionel &Gayle Sheriden		Akaroa	03 304 7355
	Medium Blend	Olives2Oil	Tauherenikau Olives Ltd		Wellington	04 970 2883
	Medium Blend	La Casa Toscana Koroneiki Blend	Lionel &Gayle Sheriden		Akaroa	03 304 7355
	Medium Blend	Poverty Gully	Trevor & Sue McNamara		Cromwell	03 445 0152
	Medium Blend	Huangarua Olives	Diana & Jamie Reid		Wellington	04 973 1690
	Medium Single Varietal	Olive2oil - Leccino	Tauherenikau Olives Ltd		Wellington	04 970 2883
	Medium Single Varietal	La Casa Toscana Manzanillo	Lionel &Gayle Sheriden		Akaroa	03 304 7355
	Medium Single Varietal	Azzuro Groves - Picual	Kerry Hart		Waiheke Island	09 372 2700
	Medium Single Varietal	Left Field - Barnea	Diane Hadley		Wellington	04 479 5968
	Medium Single Varietal	Frantoio	John & Kathleen McNaught of Whangape Grove		Auckland	09 849 7774
	Intense Blend	The Goose's Blend	Peter Coubrough		Nelson	03 544 0570
	Intense Single Varietal	Matiatia Grove - Moraiolo	John & Margaret Edwards of The Waiheke Olive Oil Company		Waiheke Island	09 357 6646
Commercial (100l+)
	Light Blend	Olivo	Helen Meehan		Martinborough	06 306 9074
	Light Blend	Esk Valley Late Harvest	Rod & Gail Harford		Hawke's Bay	06 836 5563
	Light Blend	Moutohora EV00 Grove Blend	Gerrit & Wil Kruithoed		Whakatane	07 304 4463
	Light Single Varietal	River Estate - Chemlali	Barry & Sheryl Wade of Wells Grove Estate		Auckland	09 530 9180
	Light Single Varietal	River Estate - Pendoline	Barry & Sheryl Wade of Wells Grove Estate		Auckland	09 530 9180
	Light Single Varietal	Lot Nine - Leccino	Jackie & Michael Waymouth		Mangawhai	027 439 1142
	Light Single Varietal	Esk Valley Olives - Picholene	Rod & Gail Harford		Hawke's Bay	06 836 5563
	Light Single Varietal	Divinity - Leccino	Michael and Leanne Chinnery of Divinity		Auckland	09 480 5849
	Medium Blend	Cable Bay	John & Margaret Edwards of The Waiheke Olive Oil Company		Waiheke Island	09 357 6646
	Medium Blend	Aquiferra	Shona Thompson		Hawkes Bay	06 874 9444
	Medium Blend	Azzuro Groves - Tuscan Blend	Kerry Hart		Waiheke Island	09 372 2700
	Medium Blend	Matakana Market Blend	Don Boshier of Matakana Olive Co-op		Northland	09 422 3248
	Medium Blend	Matakana Village Blend	Don Boshier of Matakana Olive Co-op		Northland	09 422 3248
	Medium Blend	Moutere Grove Organic EVOO	Ed Scott		Nelson	03 543 2232
	Medium Blend	Rockhaven Estate Tuscan Style Frantoio Blend	Mark Bond		Northland	09 426 1002
	Medium Blend	Olea Naturae	Charles Chinnaiyah		Wairarap	027 442 8065
	Medium Blend	Pigeon Rock	Pigeon Rock Olive Oil		Central Otago	029 770 00005
	Medium Blend	Juno Olives	Juno Associates Ltd		Wairarapa	06 304 8895
	Medium Blend	Harewood Estate	Paul & Suzie Adamson		Wairapapa	06 377 3383
	Medium Blend	Whangape Tuscan Blend	John & Kathleen McNaught		Auckland	09 849 7774
	Medium Blend	Stone Circle	Gavin McLachlan		Wairapapa	06 372 5738
	Medium Single Varietal	Toru Waiwai - Picual	David & Janet Prankerd		Northland	09 431 4440
	Medium Single Varietal	Toru Waiwai - Frantoio	David & Janet Prankerd		Northland	09 431 4440
	Medium Single Varietal	Toru Waiwai - Koroneiki	David & Janet Prankerd		Northland	09 431 4440
	Medium Single Varietal	Elovi - Leccino	Roger Armstrong of Tasman Bay Olives		Tasman	03 540 2084
	Medium Single Varietal	Kapiti Olives - Frantoio	Graeme Harris		Kapiti	06 364 2313
	Medium Single Varietal	First Drop  - koroneiki	NZ Olive Growers & Exporters Ltd		Northland	021 924 377
	Medium Single Varietal	Karaka/Kiwi Grove - Koroneiki	Robert Dean		Auckland	09 974 4353
	Medium Single Varietal	River Grove - Frantoio	Steven & Chris Price		Wairapapa	06 370 3722
	Medium Single Varietal	River Grove - Frantoio	Steven & Chris Price		Wairarapa	06 370 3722
	Intense Blend	Matapiro Estate - Intense	John Arthur		Hawke's Bay	06 874 3231
	Intense Blend	Ti Kouka Estate	Mike Armour & Nicky Sinclair		Northland	09 420 5053
	Intense Blend	Smiths	Nigel Smith of Bramasole Olives Ltd		Wairapapa	021 435 381
	Intense Blend	First Drop	NZ Olive Growers & Exporters Ltd		Northland	021 924 377
	Intense Single Varietal	First Drop - Te Rima	NZ Olive Growers & Exporters Ltd		Northland	021 924 377
	Intense Single Varietal	Frog's End - Frantoio	Peter Conbrough		Nelson	03 544 0570
	Intense Single Varietal	Doubtless Bay Olives J5	Stephanie McMullan		Auckland	021 815 215
Bronze Medal Awards
Boutique (50-99l)
	Light Blend	Juno Olives - Manzanillo	Juno Olives		Wairapapa	06 304 8895
	Light Single Varietal	South Lea Olives - Leccino	PD & FN Baylis		Canterbury	03 324 2181
	Medium Single Varietal	Shaw Road Olive Oil - Picual	Barney & Prue Gray		Whakatane	07 308 8566
	Medium Single Varietal	Azzuro Groves - Koroneiki	Kerry Hart		Waiheke Island	09 372 2700
Commercial (100l+)
	Light Blend	Robinsons Bay - Nabali	Chris Moore		Canterbury	03 304 5194
	Medium Blend	Leafyridge	Craig & Ruth Leaf-Wright		Wellington	04 528 7836
	Medium Blend	Ridgeway OlivesGrove Blend	Ian & Helen Bowbyes		Wellington	04 589 1636
	Medium Blend	Left Field	Diane Hadley		Wellington	04 479 5968
	Medium Blend	Nelson Olives - Oriwa	Oriwa		Motueka	03 540 2423
	Medium Single Varietal	Elovi - Frantoio	Roger Armstrong		Upper Moutere	03 540 2084
	Medium Single Varietal	Cairnmuir Olives - Frantoio	Stephen & Anna Clark		Cromwell,	03 445 0920
	Medium Single Varietal	Cairnmuir Olives - Leccino	Stephen & Anna Clark		Cromwell	03 445 0920
	Medium Single Varietal	Molive Gold Barnea	Mike Cooper		Martinborough	06 306 8696
	Medium Single Varietal	Esk Valley Olives - Picual	Rod & Gail Harford		Hawke's Bay	06 836 5563
	Intense Single Varietal	Narbey	Anita & Leon Narbey		Auckland	09 630 5316

Brief biographies of the members of the judging panel are set out below :

Cynthia Lund - Chief Judge

Cynthia's love affair with olive oil began in 2002 when she arrived in New Zealand and discovered the fantastic and beautiful flavours of the olive oil produced in this country. Her background encompasses the creation of new food products as well as the sensory analysis of olive oil.   Her participation in judging includes both wine and olive oil.  Cynthia has 20 years experience as a sensory and consumer scientist and has a PhD in Wine Science. 

Cynthia underwent formal training of olive oil tasting at the INRA (Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries) where the Catalunya Olive Oil Panel is located, in Reus Spain. Cynthia’s training in Spain, combined with her skills in developing expert trained panels at HortResearch, (now Plant and Food Research of New Zealand) enabled her, alongside Margaret Edwards, to train the panel that became New Zealand’s first internationally accredited olive oil panel. 

Cynthia is currently attempting to set up a similar olive oil panel in Oregon, which has recently begun planting trees for olive oil production.  She is currently working with the Oregon olive industry to help them understand the attributes of high quality extra virgin olive oil.  She has also worked with the California Olive Oil panel as well as the Chilean Olive Oil panel.

Her doctoral thesis was focused on New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, in which she investigated the flavours that distinguish New Zealand’s rendition of this varietal wine from any other international Sauvignon Blanc wines.   She teaches an annual course on “Novel Products to Market” to Master’s students at the University of Talca in Santiago Chile.

Ruth Sutherland - Scrutineer

I am the Olive Grove and Vineyard Manager of Wooloomooloo, part of the family owned company Robert Oatley Vineyards. I am also the oil maker for Wooloomooloo Olives.

I trained as a viticulturist; 10 years ago I began working for Mr Ian Oatley of Robert Oatley Vineyards. There are around 500ha of company vineyards, but at the site that I manage we also have an olive grove comprising of 15,000 trees. We plan to expand this number over the next few years to 30,000 trees. 6 years ago we installed our own press, and, pleasingly, have had much success with our oils.

I have been judging olive oil at state competitions and the national show for 5 years, and as panel leader for the past 3 years.

Raffaela Delmonte - Judge

Hilary Fenemore - Judge

I graduated with a bachelor degree in Biotechnology from Massey University in 1983 after which I worked in local government in water quality and resource management.  My partner Andrew and I became interested in olives in the early 1990’s planting our first olives in 1994.

When ONZ were looking for growers to take part in the first olive oil sensory evaluation training programme I put my name forward and was offered an opportunity to take part.  At that time participants were required to make skills acquired available to ONZ in return for receiving the training.  As a consequence I have been invited to be a judge in the ONZ Awards since their inception.  I was not in a position to continue as a member of the sensory panel when it moved to Auckland to utilise the tasting facilities there necessary for IOC registration so I have continued to contribute the tasting skills acquired to ONZ by being available to judge when invited to do so. 

Charlotte Meehan - Judge

I am General Manager of South Pacific Seed Sales (NZ) Ltd which supplies vegetable seeds to commercial vegetable growers in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. My interest in the Olive industry began at University where in my fourth year of study for a Bachelor of Horticulture Science majoring in Viticulture and Oenology I decided to broaden my interest and carried out my honours dissertation on “The Effect of Cultivar and Location on Olive Oil Quality in New Zealand”. As a result of this research I was invited to become an associate judge for the New Zealand Olive Awards held in 2001, and have been involved as a judge for the awards ever since. I am also a panellist of Olives New Zealand IOOC accredited panel. As of yet I have no olive trees not even in my garden! but enjoy my involvement with the industry and in particular the sensory evaluation.

Ament Nagar - Judge

I have been working in the Fats and Oils industry from 1988 to 2007 and as a food technologist in the same industry from 96 to 07.  I have been formally trained as a Olive Oil taste panellist in 2001 and have been serving on a accredited panel for past 3 years.  I was a judge in last years Olives New Zealand Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards.

Libby Prain - Judge

Maurizio Rocchetti - Judge

Jessica Scalzo - Judge