Wairarapa Winning Olive Oils 2023
While the impact of destructive Hurricane Gabrielle was less severe or widespread in the Wairarapa than further north, its impact was evident in the 2023 Olives New Zealand annual awards.
Gabrielle arrived mid-February during the olive flowering and development growth window. Instead of balmy days and refreshing cool nights, olive groves were soggy with rain and the trees were blown around by gale force winds.
Martinborough grower Helen Meehan at Olivo summed it up as “I won’t call it ‘grim’, but it was certainly ‘challenging’.
“At harvesting we knew the crop volumes were down but had no idea what Gabrielle’s impact on the oil would be.”
The answer was revealed at the New Zealand Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards 2023, presented by Olives New Zealand. International judges described this vintage officially as “delicate” in flavour. New Zealand oils are generally known for their robust and intense flavours.
The Wairarapa scooped 49 of 112 medals. We list the Wairarapa medal wins below, for a full list of all winners and medals, see Olives New Zealand. By Sue McLeary.
Wairarapa medal winners
Reserve Best in Show – Loopline Olives Picual
Loopline Olives, a commercial grove in Opaki, Wairarapa, owned by Stephen Davies Howard earned this award with Picual varietal oil, noted for its well-balanced profile with lovely notes of tomato on the nose and excellent presence in the mouth.
Reserve Best Boutique – Olivo Koroneiki
Olivo is the oldest commercial olive grove in the Wairarapa, owned by Helen and John Meehan, received recognition for their delicate single varietal Koroneiki oil, characterized by its well-balanced and delicate nature.
Best Flavoured Oil – Pressed Gold, Meyer Lemon Agrumato
The Olive Press in Greytown, Wairarapa, under the brand Pressed Gold, impressed with its Meyer Lemon Agrumato flavored oil, showcasing good intensity and purity of lemon the nose and in the mouth with a harmonious well-balanced base oil.
Best in Class Winners 2023
Boutique Mild – Single Varietal: Olivo Koroneiki (Helen & John Meehan)
Boutique Medium – Single Varietal: Olivo Picholine (Helen & John Meehan)
Commercial Mild – Single Varietal: Loopline Picholine (Stephen Davies Howard)
Commercial Medium – Single Varietal: Loopline Picual (Stephen Davies Howard)
Flavoured Citrus: Pressed Gold – Meyer Lemon Agrumato, Rod Lingard (The Olive Press)
Gold Medal Winners 2023
Boutique Gold Awards went to:
Boutique Mild – Single Varietal: Juno Olives Koroneiki (Andrew Liley)
Boutique Mild – Single Varietal: Olivo Koroneiki (Helen & John Meehan)
Boutique Medium – Single Varietal: Blue Earth Koroneiki (Mike & Margaret Hanson)
Boutique Medium – Single Varietal: Olivo Picholine (Helen & John Meehan)
Commercial Gold Awards went to:
Commercial Mild – Blends: Bella Olea Grove Blend (Chris and Hilary Penman)
Commercial Mild – Blends: Lot Eight Reserve Blend (Colin & Nalini Baruch)
Commercial Mild – Single Varietal Juno Olives Picual (Andrew Liley)
Commercial Mild – Single Varietal: Loopline Picholine (Stephen Davies Howard)
Commercial Medium – Blends Leafyridge Olives River Blend (Craig & Ruth Leaf-Wright)
Commercial Medium – Blends Lot Eight Oil Makers Blend (Colin & Nalini Baruch)
Commercial Medium – Blends Olivo Tuscan Estate (Helen & John Meehan)
Commercial Medium – Single Varietal: Leafyridge Olives Picual (Craig & Ruth Leaf-Wright)
Commercial Medium – Single Varietal Loopline Picual (Stephen Davies Howard)
Commercial Medium – Single Varietal Olivo Estate (Helen & John Meehan)
Commercial Medium – Single Varietal: Pressed Gold Frantoio Rod Lingard (The Olive Press)
Flavoured Gold awards went to:
Flavoured Citrus: Pressed Gold – Meyer Lemon Agrumato Rod Lingard (The Olive Press)
Flavoured Other: Pressed Gold – Tuscan Herb Infusion (Rod Lingard (The Olive Press)
Silver Medal Winners 2023
Silver – Boutique
Boutique Mild – Blends River Grove South Grove Blend Steven & Chris Price
Boutique Mild – Single Varietal Bella Olea Leccino SV Chris & Hilary Penman
Boutique Mild – Single Varietal Bella Olea Moraiolo Chris & Hilary Penman
Boutique Mild – Single Varietal DALI Koroneiki Ross Vintiner & Andrea Stewart
Boutique Mild – Single Varietal River Grove Chemali Steven & Chris Price
Boutique Medium – Blends Blue Earth Classic Mike & Margaret Hanson
Boutique Medium – Single Varietal DALI Frantoio Ross Vintiner & Andrea Stewart
Boutique Medium – Single Varietal Juno Olives Moraiolo Andrew Liley
Boutique Medium – Single Varietal Leafyridge Olives Koroneiki Craig & Ruth Leaf-Wright
Boutique Medium – Single Varietal Leafyridge Olives Pendolino Craig & Ruth Leaf-Wright
Boutique Medium – Single Varietal Olive Black Picual Richard Lee and Nga Wai Chiu
Silver – Commercial
Commercial Mild – Blends Olea Blend Charles & Kay Chinnaiyah
Commercial Mild – Blends Pressed Gold Oil Makers Blend Rod Lingard
Commercial Medium – Blends Olive Black Blend Richard Lee and Nga Wai Chiu
Commercial Medium – Blends Pressed Gold Tuscan Blend Rod Lingard
Commercial Medium – Blends Pressed Gold Two Sheds Tuscan Blend Rod Lingard
Commercial Medium – Single Varietal Blue Earth Tuscan Mike & Margaret Hanson
Commercial Medium – Single Varietal Juno Olives Frantoio Andrew Liley
Commercial Medium – Single Varietal Juno Olives Leccino Andrew Liley
Commercial Medium – Single Varietal Juno Olives Picholine Andrew Liley
Commercial Medium – Single Varietal Leafyridge Olives Frantoio Craig & Ruth Leaf-Wright
Commercial Medium – Single Varietal Leafyridge Olives Leccino Craig & Ruth Leaf-Wright
Commercial Medium – Single Varietal Olea Frantoio Charles & Kay Chinnaiyah
Silver – Flavoured
Flavoured Citrus Bella Olea Lemon Chris and Hilary Penman
Flavoured Citrus Leafyridge Lemon Craig & Ruth Leaf-Wright
Flavoured Citrus Leafyridge Lime Craig & Ruth Leaf-Wright
Flavoured Citrus Pressed Gold – Navel Orange Agrumato Rod Lingard
Flavoured Citrus Pressed Gold – Oriental Citrus Agrumato Rod Lingard
Flavoured Other Leafyridge Tuscan Herb Craig & Ruth Leaf-Wright
Flavoured Other Pressed Gold – Chipotle Chili Infusion Rod Lingard
Bronze Medal Winners 2023
Bronze – Boutique
Boutique Medium – Single Varietal River Grove Frantoio Steven & Chris Price
Bronze – Flavoured
Flavoured Other Leafyridge Chilli Craig & Ruth Leaf-Wright
