A boutique olive farm in the heart of the Klein-Karoo, Altevrede Farm, counts among the ten producers selected for the prestigious Absa Top 10 Olive Oil Awards. The awards are presented as part of the annual SA Olive Awards.
To reach the top ten, the competition’s highest-scoring gold medal winners are entered into an additional round of blind judging. The leading extra virgin olive oils were announced at the Asara Wine Estate in Stellenbosch, outside Cape Town, last week.
Altevrede’s Favolosa – an intensely fruity oil which is most commonly used for grilling meat and sautéing garlic and onions – was announced along with the following winners listed in alphabetical order:
- De Rustica: De Rustica Collection – Coratina;
- Falcon’s Nest Farm: Chaloner The Peregrine Limited Edition;
- Het Vlock Casteel: Het Vlock Casteel Favolosa;
- Mardouw Investments: Mardouw XXV Intense;
- Morgenster: Don Carlo Extra Virgin Olive Oil;
- Oudewerfskloof Olive Farm: OWK Picual;
- Porterville Olives: Andante Delicate;
- Rio Largo Olive Estate: Rio Largo Gold; and
- Zoetigheyd Farms: Zoetigheyd Premium Frantoio.
SA Olive chief executive Vittoria Jooste says, “We are delighted to be celebrating our South African olive oil producers with such a prestigious event. So much hard work, determination and technical expertise are needed to create extra virgin olive oils of the highest quality, and South African producers should be duly recognised for producing quality olive oils, year after year, in spite of the many challenges.”
Celebrating quality and excellence
Jooste describes the annual Absa Top 10 Olive Oil Awards as an excellent platform to showcase Mzansi’s best extra virgin olive oils and to give producers much-needed recognition.
Organisers say the partnership between SA Olive and Absa started in 2013 when the Absa Top 5 Olive Oil Awards were first introduced. Since then, this awards have grown into a prestigious annual event.
Willem Nel, Absa’s regional segment head: high-value banking and premium in the Cape region, says: “After nearly a decade of working with SA Olive, we are proud to be part of this annual award ceremony once again. We truly believe that olive oil is deeply rooted in our heritage, and we take pride in celebrating the rich history, tradition, diversity, excellence, and quality of South African extra virgin olive oil.”
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