The SA Olive Awards return on 15 September at the Grande Roche in Paarl to celebrate South Africa’s premier extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) producers following rigorous blind sensory evaluations held from 17 to 21 August. With scores recorded and kept strictly under wraps, local producers eagerly await the presentation of Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals.
This year’s event carries exceptional prestige, featuring two internationally acclaimed olive oil authorities: Marcelo Scofano (Brazil), an Elaiotechnique master and panel leader for Paris’s Olio Nuovo Days, and Dr. Müge Nebioğlu (Türkiye), a food engineering researcher and PhD specialist in Oils and Fats Technology. They led an elite South African judging panel featuring seasoned tasting experts Reni Hildenbrand, Gerrie Duvenage, Benedetta Lami, Gill Lanham, Marelie Erasmus, Mare Groenewald, and Theresa Louw.
Together, these sensory analysts evaluated every entry against strict International Olive Council (IOC) standards. But what exactly separates a benchmark oil from the rest of the field?
Anatomy of a Gold-Medal EVOO
Judging at this level goes far beyond identifying pleasant flavours. Panelists look for three core positive attributes alongside absolute technical purity.
First, fruitiness forms the aromatic foundation, evaluated through both nose and palate. Judges search for clean, vibrant notes of freshly cut grass, green tomato, artichoke, banana, or almond, requiring an aroma free from stale or flat tones.
Second, bitterness provides a primary taste sensation on the tongue. Characteristic of fresh, green olives rich in natural antioxidants, it must integrate seamlessly without overpowering the palate.
Third, pungency delivers a signature peppery bite in the throat, serving as a direct indicator of high polyphenol content and optimal harvest timing.
Harmony, Complexity, and Zero Defects
Beyond these three markers, judges demand harmony and balance. A Gold-medal oil demonstrates equilibrium, ensuring fruitiness, bitterness, and pungency complement each other harmoniously. Layers of evolving herbal or floral notes add the complexity that elevates top-tier entries above Silver and Bronze medalists.
Crucially, an EVOO must be entirely free of organoleptic defects. Minor traces of fustiness, mustiness, rancidity, or muddy sediment automatically disqualify an oil from top awards.
Global Recognition & The Road to the Absa Top 10
International judge Marcelo Scofano commended the calibre of the entries, emphasizing that South African EVOOs display impressive quality capable of competing alongside the world’s finest.
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Beyond international benchmarking, the competition supports SA Olive’s Commitment to Compliance (CTC) scheme, guaranteeing consumers authentic, 100% local EVOO with transparent labelling.
The journey does not end on 15 September. All Gold-winning oils from the SA Olive Awards will automatically advance to the final round of judging for the prestigious Absa Top 10 Olive Oil Awards, where the ten absolute finest oils in the country will be crowned.