Buy the best: These are SA’s top 10 extra virgin olive oils for 2021

The local olive industry waits in great anticipation for the results of the SA Olive Awards to be announced each year.

The 2021 edition saw 113 locallyproduced extra virgin olive oils going though a rigorous blind testing with judges awarding the winners gold, silver or bronze medals. 

The highest-scoring gold medallists automatically became contenders for the Absa Top 10 Olive Oil Awards. These bottles of liquid gold were strictly judged in a second blind tasting led by Italian olive oil authority Dr Aldo Mazzini.

This years’ Top 10 list mostly features extra virgin olive oils from quality brands that regularly scoop gold awards.

The only newbie to make the cut was Olive Boutique Frantoio, an extra virgin olive oil created as a result of a partnership between producer Susan Aird of Olive Boutique in Riebeek Kasteel and farmer Freddie Kirsten of Zonquasdrift.

It's also interesting to note that bar one — Serrado EVOO from Serrado Olive Estate in the eastern Free State — all of the oils in the Top 10 hail from the Western Cape.

SA'S TOP 10 EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OILS

1. De Rustica Estate Collection Frantoio from De Rustica Olive Estate in De Rust, Western Cape
2. Kleinbergskloof Olive Estate Blend from Kleinbergskloof Olive Estate in Still Bay. Western Cape
3. Lapithos Family Reserve from Lapithos Olive Growers in the Breede River Valley, Western Cape
4. Lions Creek Karoo Blend EVOO from Lions Creek Olive Estate in Leeu Gamka, Western Cape
5. Mardouw XXV Intense from Mardouw Olive Estate in Swellendam, Western Cape
6. Olive Boutique Frantoio from Olive Boutique in Riebeek Kasteel, Western Cape
7. Andante Intenso from Porterville Olives in Porterville, Western Cape
8. Rio Largo Premium from Rio Large Estate in the Scherpenheuwel Valley, Western Cape
9. Serrado EVOO from Serrado Olive Estate in the eastern Free State
10. Willow Creek Directors Reserve EVOO from Willow Creek in Worcester, Western Cape

• Click here to see the full list of extra virgin olive oils that were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals in the 2021 SA Olive Awards. If you fancy purchasing some of these products, consider buying directly from the different estates.