TerraOlivo Completes 8th Edition

Despite the recent loss of TerraOlivo's president, Raul Castellani, the competition in Israel attracted 630 olive oils from 20 countries.

By Alexis Kerner
Jun. 21, 2017 08:57 UTC
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Last week TerraOlivo wrapped up the 8th ediĀ­tion of its interĀ­naĀ­tional olive oil comĀ­peĀ­tiĀ­tion. With the recent loss of the presĀ­iĀ­dent of TerraOlivo, Raul Castellani, it was not an easy task to ensure the event ran smoothly. However, with dedĀ­iĀ­caĀ­tion and hard work, Moshe Spak, Eyal Hasson, Leonardo Castellani and Antonio G. Lauro ran the comĀ­peĀ­tiĀ­tion admirably.

The conĀ­test drew more than 630 olive oils from 20 counĀ­tries. Spain was the grand winĀ­ner takĀ­ing home 111 prizesā€‰ā€”ā€‰four in the Top Ten catĀ­eĀ­gory.

Jurors of the comĀ­peĀ­tiĀ­tion agreed that the difĀ­fiĀ­cult harĀ­vest year was eviĀ­dent in many samĀ­ples, notĀ­ing indiĀ­caĀ­tions of excesĀ­sive heat, fruit that ripened early and oils with low staĀ­bilĀ­ity.






Despite a tough year, Israeli proĀ­ducĀ­ers were able to present 131 oils and took home over 40 awards.

The presĀ­iĀ­dent of the Agro-nutriĀ­tional Partnership of the Region of Crete, Manolis Chnaris, attended in a show of supĀ­port for the parĀ­ticĀ­iĀ­patĀ­ing Greek proĀ­ducĀ­ers and the comĀ­peĀ­tiĀ­tion itself. During a speech at the awards cerĀ­eĀ­mony, Chnaris expressed the imporĀ­tance of qualĀ­ity olive oil and his gratĀ­iĀ­tude for the colĀ­labĀ­oĀ­raĀ­tion between the Crete and Israeli comĀ­peĀ­tiĀ­tions.

For jurors, mornĀ­ings were occuĀ­pied with tastĀ­ing flights of about 33 oils per day. However, afterĀ­noons were spent in the field to proĀ­mote inforĀ­maĀ­tion exchange between panel memĀ­bers.

A speĀ­cial trip was hosted by the Israeli Olive Oil Board to Beit Gemal, a monastery near Beit Shemesh, and to Kibbutz Revadim which proĀ­duces local variĀ­eties like Barnea and Souri.

Zohar Kerem from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem first spoke to the group at Beit Gemal on the hisĀ­torĀ­iĀ­cal imporĀ­tance of the area. It was here where David defeated Goliath and where olive trees had been domesĀ­tiĀ­cated thouĀ­sands of years ago.

Kerem also explained the results of a very interĀ­estĀ­ing study that was carĀ­ried out in the region. The study revealed that the olive trees now planted near the monastery had roots from many Italian species with local culĀ­tiĀ­vars grafted onto the forĀ­eign roots. It is believed that the Italian variĀ­eties were introĀ­duced by travĀ­elĀ­ing monks.

Adi Naali, the CEO of the Israeli Olive Oil Board and his team explained modĀ­ern Israeli proĀ­ducĀ­tion and the work that the Board is doing to ensure qualĀ­ity prodĀ­ucts and healthy marĀ­kets. He stressed the imporĀ­tance of using a seal of qualĀ­ity, traceĀ­abilĀ­ity, and good brandĀ­ing. He went on to say that it is when you give conĀ­sumers qualĀ­ity, that proĀ­ducĀ­ers can demand a fair price for their hard work.

The afterĀ­noon was conĀ­cluded in the groves of Kibbutz Revadim with an olive oil tastĀ­ing and disĀ­cusĀ­sions lead by Ayala Noy Meir and Ehud Soriano on the proĀ­ducĀ­tion of local variĀ­eties.

The trees surĀ­roundĀ­ing the group were laden with new fruit startĀ­ing to plump. It is this fruit that will be used for this comĀ­ing harvestĀ“s olive oil and just perĀ­haps it will be a winĀ­ner in TerraOlivo 2018.



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