TORONTO — SIAL Canada announced the 12 winners of the Olive d’Or 2019 contest, the largest international extra-virgin olive oil contest.
The best extra-virgin olive oils submitted by producers from around the world were recognized with gold, silver and bronze medals in their respective categories. The seven-member jury, chaired by olive-oil expert Christine Cheylan. Approximately 100 oils from 15 countries registered this year.
The gold-medal winners in each category include:
- Ripe Fruitiness — Late Harvest, Gallo Worldwide (Portugal)
- Intense Fruit Flavour — Oro Bailén Hojiblanca, Aceites Oro Bailén Galgón 99 S.L.U. (Spain)
- Medium Fruit Flavour — Mueloliva Picuda Muela, Olives SL (Spain)
- Light Fruit Flavour — Wenta Del Baron Muela, Olives SL (Spain)
The 2019 Jury Prize in Italy was awarded to De robertis de Cultivar Coratina, Chiaroscuro, Italy. This was the first jury award presented to olive-oil producers in the event’s history.
Opening day at SIAL also saw the winner of event’s inaugural International Cheese Competition revealed. The competition was juried by Gurth Pretty and a panel of cheese-making industry professionals, who evaluated cheeses in 23 categories.
Best English Cheese, Best Italian Cheese, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Best New Cheese and Grand Champion Cheese were among the awards handed out. Nearly 230 cheeses from nine countries registered in the competition.
Canadian winners include:
- Grand Cheese Champion — Fromagerie La Station, Alfred le Fermier Grand Cru (Quebec)
- Fresh Cheese — Quality Cheese, Burratta (Ontario)
- Soft, Bloomy Ring — Fromagerie Dominae Feodal, Noble (Quebec)
- Mixed Rind — Fromagerie Médard, Rang des Iles (Quebec)
- Cheddar – three to six months — Parmalat – Winchester Cheddar Team, Balderson Mild Cheddar (Ontario)
- Cheddar – six to 12 months — COWS Creamery, one-year old cheddar (P.E.I.)
- Gouda – six to 12 months — Mountainoak Cheese, Mountainoak Farmstead Medium (Ontario)
- Swiss-Style — Agropur, OKA Artisan 4.5 kg (Quebec)
- Firm — Fromagerie La Station, Alfred le Fermier Grand Cru (Quebec)
- Grilling-Mediterranean — Ivanhoe/Gay Lea Foods, Salerno Halloumi (Ontario)
- Low-Fat Cheese — Fromagerie Bergeron, Seigneur de Tilly (Quebec)
