If you’ve been following me on Twitter, you’ll know that I’m very anti imported olive oil. Not just because of the food miles, but because Europe dumps their poor quality product on us and we don’t know any better. Our South African olive oil is of far superior quality and well worth the small price difference. You can read more about my thoughts on this here.
One thing people keep asking me when I tell them to buy local is, which olive oil should they buy? So I’m pleased to share with you the results from the 2012 SA Olive Awards. The results below are broken up into gold, silver and bronze. Each line tells you the estate, the product and the style (in brackets).
But remember that all of our olive oil is at a very high standard. I’ve tasted some of those which were awarded bronze and they are still way better than the imported stuff.
Gold
Olyvenbosch – Olyvenbosch “On Tap” (Delic/Med)
Marbrin Farm – Marbrin Farm (Delicate)
Muiskraal – Muiskraal (Delicate)
Tokara – Tokara Mission (Delicate)
Bakenshoogte – Bakenshoogte Blue (Intense)
Gabrielskloof – Gabrielskloof (Intense)
Kleinood – De Boerin Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
Lettas Kraal – Lettas Kraal (Intense)
Marbrin Farm – Marbrin Farm (Intense)
Waterfall River – Waterfall River (Intense)
Buck’s Ridge Olive Estate – Buck’s Ridge Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Indigo Ridge – Good Green Oil (Medium)
Kleinveld Flora/In our Greenhouse – In Our Greenhouse (Medium)
L’Olivier – Kloof Versnit (Medium)
McGregor Olives – Olivi (Medium)
Prince Albert Olives – Prince Albert Olives (Medium)
Rio Largo Olive Estate – Rio Largo Medium (Medium)
Rio Largo Olive Estate – Rio Largo Mild (Medium)
Vesuvio Estates – Vesuvio Estates (Medium)
Silver
Buck’s Ridge Olive Estate – Buck’s Ridge Extra Virgin Olive Oil “Single Grove” (Delicate)
River Bend Farm – River Bend Mission (Delicate)
Tarentaalkloof – Tarentaalkloof Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2012 (Delicate)
Tokara – Tokara Frantoio (Delicate)
Tokara – Tokara Multi Varietal (Delicate)
Tokara – Tokara Premium (Delicate)
Willow Creek Olive – Nuy Valley Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Delicate)
Buck’s Ridge Olive Estate – Buck’s Ridge Intense (Intense)
Darling Olives – Darling Olives Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
De Rustica Olive Estate – Intense Press (Intense)
Morgenster Estate – Morgenster Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
Porterville Olives (Pty) Ltd – Andante Mezzo Forte (Intense)
Rio Largo Olive Estate – Rio Largo Intense (Intense)
Willow Creek Olive – Willow Creek Directors’ Res Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Intense)
Bakenshoogte – Bakenshoogte Green (Medium)
De Rustica Olive Estate – Medium Intense Press (Medium)
Foxenburg Estate – Foxenburg Estate (Medium)
Hemelrand – Hemelrand (Medium)
Hidden Valley – Hidden Valley Olive Oil (Medium)
Kadima Olives – Kadimah Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
L’Olivier – Villa Premium (Medium)
L’Ormarins – L’Ormarins Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Marbrin Farm – Marbrin Farm (Medium)
Olive Pride – Olive Pride Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Olyvenbosch – Olyvenbosch Orchard Blend (Medium)
Oudewerfskloof – Oudewerfskloof (Medium)
Porterville Olives (Pty) Ltd – Andante (Medium)
River Bend Farm – River Bend Frantoio/Mission (Medium)
Slent Farms (Pty) Ltd – Ayama (Medium)
Zonquasdrift Estates (Pty) Ltd – Zonquasdrift (Medium)
Bronze
De Rustica Olive Estate – Leccino Press (Delicate)
Hillcrest Estate Durbanville – Hillcrest Estate Durbanville (Delicate)
Zaamheid Olive Estate – Zaamheid Medium Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Delicate)
Botuin – Botuin (Medium)
The Greenleaf Olive Company – Saint Sebastian Bay Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
The Greenleaf Olive Company – Greenleaf Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Willow Creek Olive – Willow Creek Est Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Zaamheid Olive Estate – Zaamheid Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Medium)
Comments
7 responses to “SA Olive Awards 2012”
Wow!! So many local olive oils,impressive!!
As a South African Olive Oil Producer (Buck’s Ridge Olive Estate in Tulbagh) I was delighted to come across your endorsement of South African Olive Oils on your Blog. Sadly however most consumers are under the impression that imported olive oils are somehow better which is most definately not the case (as reported by Carte Blanche recently). As an industry we are hoping that more and more people get the opportunity to taste and appreciate locally produced olive oil as there is just no comparison to the cheap imported rubbish..
Hi Brendon
I think it’s not just about tasting, it’s about being educated. People don’t realise that the imported olive oils they are using are often faulty. They think it’s meant to taste like that because that is what they are used to. The Olive Oil association should be educating people, offering tastings of good olive oil vs faulty olive oil so that they can tell the difference.
One of the things that is disturbing me the most right now is that I’m finding upmarket restaurants using cheap imported olive oil on the tables. This is completely unacceptable, they should know better.
Here is the link to the Carte Blanche expose for those interested http://beta.mnet.co.za/carteblanche/Article.aspx?Id=4118&Showid=1
Hi Dax, in your opinion where would be the best place in Cape Town where one could get the best variety of LOCAL olive oil at competitive prices … all under one roof. Even my local Superspar in Kenilworth and Pick ‘n Pay at KC don’t have much other than the usual suspects! 🙁
Mark, that’s a good question. I’m not sure if there is one place that does that (maybe a gap in the market?). I usually pick up oil from the estates when I visit. Otherwise I find markets and festivals are good places to find and buy olive oils…
Great Dax .. thanx .. if you DO hear of a place that has a good range of local oils please post it on your site! I also find stuff at markets but as you say, I’m sure there is a gap for something like this … thanx for your quick reply! 🙂
(Belated, sorry!)
We’ve got loads of VERY high quality local olive oil at prices way less than those of the imported olive oils, at my factory shop in Ottery (021 704 4000)