The 2017 Fleurieu Food Olive Awards attracted 104 entries, using olive products grown or made on the Fleurieu Peninsula.
Eighty entries were olive oil, 18 entries were table olives and 6 were olive products.
Oil entries were almost double previous years, as the harvest was very big and the awards were strongly promoted among growers.
Table olive entries were slightly down as most producers were struggling with the very slow maturation of this year’s large and late harvest.
The new category of Olive Products attracted only six entries but caused tremendous excitement among the judges. Sixty nine oil samples were tested, with support from Modern Olives Laboratory. Entrants have been provided with individual Modern Olive lab reports for their own use.
Entrants have also been invited to attend an all-day training course with Head Judge Dr Richard Gawel, to help them improve their growing, harvesting, processing and storage practices, with a view to improving their competition results and farm profitability.
In the Judges’ view, the quality of oils, olives and olive products was very good. The incidence of product faults was markedly reduced, perhaps reflecting the improvement in farm knowledge and practices in recent years.
Fleurieu Food applauds the readiness of olive industry members to work together to promote their industry and to promote the Fleurieu Peninsula as a food producing region.
Sponsors
Cospak contributed identical dark glass bottles into which all oils were decanted to facilitate best practice, blind judging.
Primo Estate, a long-time supporter and oft-times winner in the awards, generously provided all the wine at the presentation dinner.
Peats Soils funded the attendance of the judges at the Presentation dinner, and the laboratory testing of the oil samples. Peter Wadewitz of Peats Soil presented the Awards
The Peats Soil Fleurieu Food 2017 Olive Awards Presentation Dinner was held at Andy Clappis’ restaurant, “Our Place” at Willunga Hill. Fleurieu Food are very grateful for the wonderful hospitality and food provided by Andy and his team.
The Dinner was organised By Fleurieu Food chair, Pip Forrester with assistance from Campbell Haig and Bron Busbridge.
Judging panel
Fleurieu Food also thanks the 30 members of the judging group from around Australia and abroad, who contributed their expertise to the Awards.
Head Judge for olive oils was Dr Richard Gawel and for table olives, Dr Michelle Wirthensohn. Olive product judging was led by Rachel Macmillan.
Major Awards
| Top Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil | Tooperang Olives, Koroneiki |
| Top Gold Table Olive | Coriole, Medium Kalamata |
| Top Gold Agrumato & Infusions | Currawong Lemon Agrumato |
| Chefs Choice | Talinga Grove EVOO |
| Willunga Market People’s Choice | Romley Estate EVOO |
| Olives SA Award for Innovation and Enterprise | Fleurieu Peninsula Olive Press |
Download the complete 2017 Fleurieu Foods Olive Show results here
