Many readers of Olive Oil Times can remember that first time we tasted really good extra virgin olive oil.
The epiphany for some likely occurred far from home (and the supermarket shelves we frequent there) in some rural mill in Spain, Greece or Italy, or in a small shop in the presence of a knowing merchant.
Joanna Pope had her EVOO moment in New York, where she first tasted the brand Dehesa de la Sabina, a Gold Award winner at the New York International Olive Oil Competition (NYIOOC).
Since then, Pope told Kent Online in a story posted today, she has been selling the Spanish Picual at regional markets and on her website.
Dehesa de la Sabina began just a few years ago when, in 2012, eight farmers of southern Sierra de Cazorla (Jaén) decided to create their own cooperative.
Just two years later, the producers called the NYIOOC win “a nod to the careful work done, not only to achieve excellence in the mill, but from the beginning, in the management of our farms.”
“Dehesa de la Sabina arose from the shared concern of the environment and health problems resulting from industrial agriculture and the need to defend farmers’ income and, of course, for the sake of producing high quality oils,” said the cooperative in a statement. “This award is proof that you can do well in a different way and, of course, it is a new reason to continue.”
Meet 3 members of @Laolivilla who produce Dehesa de la Sabina — Juan,Sebastian,Leon. Spanish #OliveOil#EVOO#organicpic.twitter.com/ylmAfF17po
— Joanna Pope (@PerfectTreeUK) October 11, 2014
The brand was among 50 Gold Award winners from Spain at the 2014 New York International Olive Oil Competition, and among 19 awarded for olive oils made from the Picual variety.
See Also:NYIOOC Statistics
In the U.K, Dehesa de la Sabina can be found on Pope’s website Perfect Tree, while in the U.S., the brand is available on Amazon.
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