New Zealand - 2021 NZ EVOO Awards
2021 Best in Show winners David and Helen Walshaw of Kapiti Olives were thrilled to receive their third Best in Show trophy.
Tauherenikau Olives/Olive2Oil owners Rod and Elaine Corlett weren’t able to make the presentation, so celebrated their Best in Class and Best Boutique wins at home with their trees.
Third time ‘Best’ for Kapiti Olives Kapiti Olives owners Helen and David Walshaw returned to the winners’ podium at this year’s New Zealand Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards, taking the coveted Best in Show trophy for the third time. Kapiti also took the top award in 2019, and for the first time in 2010, and have been consistent medal and trophy winners in the competition for the past 18 years.
Major winners
Kapiti took Gold and Best in Class - Commercial Medium Blends before claiming the top trophy for its Frantoio Blend, which comprises predominantly Frantoio fruit along with percentages of Koroneiki, Leccino and Picual. The Walshaw’s commercial-sized grove of 2,300 trees is located close to the Otaki River and its success at competitions both at home and abroad has helped cement the quality reputation of Kapiti EVOO. This year that is backed up by fellow Kapiti producer Totara Tunnel, whose Frantoio varietal was named Reserve Best Boutique in Show. A boutique grove of around 550 trees located on the Kapiti Coast, Totara Tunnel is one of the few olive groves in New Zealand following organic practices and all three of their entries in this year’s competition won gold medals. The Totara Tunnel Frantoio took this year’s award for Best in Class - Boutique Medium Single Varietal, which it also won in 2019, and the company last year took the trophy for Best in Class - Boutique Mild Single Varietal for its Leccino. The other major award winners are all Wairarapa producers, continuing the ongoing success of the region at the national competition. The Best Boutique award was won by Tauherenikau Olives/
Olive2Oil’s blend of French Picholene and Greek Koroneiki. The grove of almost 1,300 trees is located near Greytown and owners Rod and Elaine Corlett specialise in boutique production of blended olive oils. Martinborough producer Blue Earth Intense also won big with a blended EVOO, its Koroneiki and Manzanilla combination taking the Reserve Best in Show title for 2021. The gold-medal winnng oil was also named Best in Class - Commercial Intense Blends, building on its 2020 Best in Class – Boutique Intense Blends and 2018 Best in Class – Commercial Medium Blends trophies. The award for Best Flavoured Oil was also won by a Wairarapa producer, The Olive Press/Pressed Gold, for its Midori No Yuzu agrumato oil. Made from fresh yuzu fruit and Frantoio EVOO, the Pressed Gold Midori No Yuzu also won Gold and Best in Class – Flavoured Citrus, along with multiple medals for other EVOOs and flavoured oils.
Other awards
Pressed Gold’s parent company The Olive Press was once again named the country’s Best Processor, a title it has held consistently since 2013. And as an exception to this year’s Kapiti/ Wairarapa dominance, the Best Label trophy was awarded to Hawke’s Bay producer The Village Press.
Record entries
The New Zealand Olive Oil Awards celebrated its 21st edition this year, and fittingly attracted a record number of entries. The 165 entries also earned an astounding 81 gold medals, reflecting both the successful 2021 harvest and the increasing quality of production across the New Zealand industry.
Issue 122 • December 2021 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 33
