Winners of the San Joaquin Valley Olive Oil Competition for 2024. Photo contributed

Twenty producers from throughout California competed in the 9^th-annual San Joaquin Valley Olive Oil Competition last month, with one Tulare County ranch taking Best of Show honors with 100-year old trees.

The town of Lindsay is synonymous with olive production, and it’s also home to Olivaia, once again a Best of Show winner along with Enzo Olive Oil Co.

The competition is open to all olive oil producers in California with products made from their 2023 olive harvest. There were a total of 54 entries from 20 different olive oil producers from throughout the State.

Olivaia also won Best of Show honors at the San Joaquin Valley Olive Oil Competition in 2023 and has been a regular winner since 2018. In April Olivaia was named a Best of Show winner at the Central Coast Olive Oil Competition.

Olivaia was founded in 2012 by cofounders Giulio Zavolta and his wife Dr. Rachelle Bross, starting with the purchase of a mature olive grove with many neglected trees, some over 100 years old.

For the San Joaquin Valley Olive Oil Competition, entries were received in two categories: Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) and Flavored Olive Oil, with 10 classes in total. Gold and Silver Medals were awarded, as well as an overall “Best of Show” and “Best of the Valley” selected from all of the highest scoring gold medal entries in both categories. In total, there were 41 EVOO and 13 Flavored Olive Oil entries that were entered for judging. The winners of the 9^th Annual San Joaquin Valley Olive Oil Competition are as follows with the counties of ranch locations noted in parenthesis:

Best of Show

Olivaia’s OLA Block x Super Blend (Tulare County) – EVOO

ENZO Olive Oil Company Organic Fresno Chili Crush (Fresno County) – Flavored Olive Oil

Best of the Valley

Olivaia’s OLA Block x Super Blend (Tulare County) – EVOO

Extra Virgin Olive Oils

• Gold Medal Winners
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  • Spanish Blends: Joseph Gallo Farms JG Family Estate(Merced County), Olivaia’s OLA Block x Super Blend (Tulare County) – EVOO
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  • Spanish Singles: Cobram Estates Everyday Essentials Mild(Yolo County), ENZO Olive Oil Company Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Delicate (Fresno County), ENZO Olive Oil Company Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Medium (Fresno County), Golden Harvest Estates Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Calaveras County), Olivaia’s OLA Estate Sevillano (Tulare County), Rancho Azul y Oro Olive Farm Arbequina (Monterey County)
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  • Italian Blends: Rancho Azul y Oro Olive Farm Estate Blend (Monterey County), San Miguel Olive Farm Tuscan Gold Eleganza Elite(San Luis Obispo County), San Miguel Olive Farm Tuscan Gold Fantastico (San Luis Obispo County), San Miguel Olive Farm Tuscan Gold Magnifico (San Luis Obispo County), Tres Osos Olive Oil Robust (Monterey County)
  •  
  • Italian Singles:Sutter Buttes Natural Organic Coratina (Sutter County)
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  • Other Blends:Olivaia’s OLA Block X Heirloom (Tulare County)

 

• Silver Medal Winners:

• Spanish Blends: California Olive Ranch’s 100% CA EVOO(Glenn County), California Olive Ranch Miller’s Blend (Glenn County), Corto Olive Oil Truly (San Joaquin County)
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• Spanish Singles: California Olive Ranch Reserve Arbequina (Glenn County), California Olive Ranch Reserve Arbosana (Glenn County), Mangini Ranch Olive Oil Picual Reserve (Calaveras County), Olive Crush Farms Arbequina (Calaveras County)
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• Italian Blends: Regency Olive Ranch Robust (Santa Barbara County)
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• Italian Singles:La Torre Olive Oil Ascolano (Tulare County)
•  

Flavored Olive Oils

• Gold Medal Winners
  • Citrus: ENZO Olive Oil Organic Eureka Lemon Crush (Fresno County), ENZO Olive Oil Organic Clementine Crush Olive Oil (Fresno County), Rancho Azul y Oro Olive Farm Orange Infused Olive Oil (Monterey County)
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  • Herbal: Corto Olive Co. Lemongrass & Basil Olive Oil (San Joaquin County)
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  • Pepper: Corto Olive Co. Calabrian Chili (San Joaquin County), ENZO Olive Oil Company Organize Fresno Chili Crush (Fresno County), Sutter Buttes Citrus Habanero (Sutter County)
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• Silver Medal Winners
  • Citrus: Sutter Buttes Natural Meyer Lemon (Sutter County)
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  • Herbal: ENZO Olive Oil Company Organic Basil Crush (Fresno County)
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  • Other: Sutter Buttes Garlic Herb Olive Oil (Sutter County)

All winners will be on display in the Agriculture Building with educational information on the art of making olive oil and its health benefits. Gold Medal, Best of Show and Best of the Valley winners will have the opportunity to have a booth in the Agriculture Building during the 2024 Big Fresno Fair.