2006

2006 York Olive Festival Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards

Download complete show booklet here (pdf, 405kb)

2006 marked the third York Olive Festival and the third Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards Competition, organized as a joint initiative between the York Visitor Centre and the York & Districts Olive Association. The competition was opened to all growers in the country and forty six entries were received from around Australia.

The York EVOO Awards was the first show in Australia of the 2006 harvest, and many producers had only just finished harvest and were still arranging bottling and labelling. We continued with the "Style" based competition (rather than a system of categories based on production) that we started last year so that many smaller producers were able to enter and pace their oils against the large scale producers, and it was a true competition of excellence.

The competition was made possible by the panel of ten judges who volunteered a day of their time to adjudicate the competition. Our thanks go to the judges and particularly Margi Kirkby, the Chairman of Judges, who came from Moree in New South Wales and provided invaluable guidance before and during the judging.

Ian Rowe of the Western Australian Olive Council acted as Administrator on the day, ensured complete confidentiality of the oils, organised the judging in a most professional manner and ensured that the competition was conducted using the highest standards and best practice methods available. The judging was held in Perth.

The York EVOO Competition is a part of the York Olive Festival, an event held in the lovely historic town of York each year to showcase olives and olive oil. The Festival weekend presents the freshest oil available, and gives the public the opportunity to taste and buy direct from the growers. It is an opportunity to promote olive oil and also to educate the public about the benefits and quality of Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Interesting speakers present talks on topics as varied as the health benefits of olive oil and cooking with olive oil. Tasting sessions are held and musicians and demonstration chefs keep the crowds entertained. It is a very pleasant weekend of country living and is attended by thousands of people from all over WA.

Of the forty six entries, twenty nine were awarded medals; one Gold, nine Silver and nineteen Bronze.

Tarnagulla Farm awarded Best Oil of Show

Congratulations to the Gold Medal winning oil and Best of Show entry which was a frantoio from TARNAGULLA FARM of Balingup, WA. The oil scored 17 points and received the following comments from the judging panel:

"A very complex oil with a range of sweet fruit, spice, fudge and roasted hazlenut aromas and flavours. A very harmonious and intriguing oil and an excellent example of a medium to robust style."

The Silver Medal winners were:

- Olivesmiths, Northam, WA (Delicate Class)

- Pert's Pantry, York, WA (Delicate Class)

- Athena Grove, Harvey, WA (Delicate Class)

- Merrick & Sons, York, WA (Medium Class)

- Peter & Julie Anderson, Goulburn, NSW (Delicate Class)

- Dwarda Ridge, Medium Class (Delicate Class)

- Kotai Estate, Harvey, WA (Medium Class)

- Merrick & Sons, York, WA (Delicate Class)

- York Olive Oil Co., York, WA (Medium Class)

The festival committee would like to give special thanks to the sponsors of the 2006 event:

- The Shire of York