Olio Nuovo Days: Celebrating New Virgin Olive Oil Harvest in Paris

Olio Nuovo 2019

Gourmet olive oil producers, specialists, chefs and foodies gathered in Paris for the fourth international Olio Nuovo Days Congress which took place 15 to 19 of January. Just as wine lovers in France celebrate the harvesting of the Beaujolais Nouveau, so do olive oil lovers.

Olio Nuovo takes place in January, the season for olive oil, as the oil is new. Oil that has recently been harvested and bottled is what connoisseurs like:  the olive oil is fresh and full of antioxidants.  Organizers made the Olive Oil celebrations more gastronomically delightful this year by adding two master classes of Extra Virgin Olive Oil at a prestigious Parisian hotel.

Olio Nuovo is a special time for proud olive oil producers; it’s a time to showcase their best freshly pressed oils and to compete with other olive oils in the Northern Hemisphere.

The event kicked off with the main competition where quality oils from Spain, Italy, Tunisia, Turkey, Morocco, Greece, Japan, and France were presented to the jury to be blind tasted. This year’s best olive oil came from Magic House Farm in Sicily with their ‘fruity green’ extra virgin oil called Valle deli Inferno. The jury awarded second prize to the Japanese extra virgin Takao.

Olio Nuovo 2019

Deciding if oil is exceptional is not an easy task.  Professional olive oil experts analyze the olive oil samples by looking, smelling and tasting. They first check the aroma. After deciding if the oil is intense medium or delicate oil they then taste for the fruitiness, bitterness and pungency, the three positive attributes of olive oil.  

Best Readability of the Label and Best Packaging Design

Winning the title of the best label at Olio Nuovo 2019 was the Tunisian exhibit Oleastra. The Best Packaging prize went to Bona Furtuna Farm.

Master Classes

Olio Nuovo 2019 was not just about judging the best olive oil. The general public was able to discover, appreciate and cook with the green nectar.  On the first day, participants learned how to choose and taste the oils with the olive oil experts while on the second day renowned French chefs took over allowing participants to learn more about the flavors of extra virgin olive oil at the legendary Ritz Hotel.

Teaching participants how to cook with olive oil is a broad subject, but the great thing about this Extra Virgin Class was the sharing of practical information, recognizing the different flavors and discussing the qualities of extra virgin olive oil.

The Tasting and Cooking with olive oil was a splendid experience for both beginners and culinary professionals at Olio Nuovo 2019.