Masía El Altet’s excellent results at the Los Angeles International Extra Virgen Olive Oil Competition

Masía El Altet has obtained excellent results in the prizes awarded for the quality of extra virgin olive oil in the city of Los Angeles (USA) which took place this March.

A total of 658  extra virgin olive oils from 371 producers were presented at the ‘’Los Angeles Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition’’.  It has been the  most numerous and closely-fought‘’ according to  sources close  to the competition.

Extra virgin olive oils from 20 different countries were presented: Argentina, Australia, Brasil, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Chile, China, Croacia, France, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Japan, Morroco, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Tunisia, Uruguay and the United States.

In the 19th edition, the Alcoy-based firm achieved the highest  qualifications possible.  The results were:

• BEST OF SHOW: Masía el Altet Premium (world gold medal)
• BEST OF CLASS: Masía el Altet Special Selection (Spain–Monoculture – Medium)
• BEST OF CLASS: Masía el Altet High End (Spain–Monoculture– Delicate)
• SILVER: Masía el Altet High Quality

The jury was composed of the world’s most important olive oil tasters:

1. Darrell Corti: President of the competition.
2. Maria Paz Aguilera Herrera: Doctor in Chemistry and leader of this panel of tasters. At the same time, she is the Head of Experimental Cooking Lab with Olive Oil in Citoliva. She is a researcher into the characterization and quality of olive oil.
3. Pier Paolo Arca: Expert Italian taster and, at the same time, a consultant in oliveculture for the region of Sardinia.
4. Margaret Edwards: Worked as a dietician and teacher at the University of New Zealand. She retired in 2003 to concentrate on olive oil.  She is a consultant and professional
5. Maria Farr: Founder of Renaissance Kitchen, a company whose mission is to educate in cooking with olive oil at home, in elements such as buying, storing, cooking with and tasting.
6. Richard Gawel: Expert blender for many Australian oil companies.
7. Orietta Gianjorio: Expert Sommelier and extra virgin olive oil taster. Also an expert taster of chocolate and honey. She is a member of juries in internacional competitions such as: Biol (Puglia, Italy), Sol D’Oro (Verona, Italy) and Fair State of California cheese.
8. Maria Luz Hurtado: A Chilean agricultural engineer. Expert taster. She has worked for more than 14 years at the  Universidad de Chile carrying out investigation into olive oil.
9. Sue Langstaff: Expert taster, postgraduate in Food Science from Davis University in California. She has been a member of the jury of numerous international olive oil, wine and beer competitions.  She is also co-editor of the book ‘Olive Oil Sensory Science’ (Wiley/Blackwell 2014).  She is also a creator of the Defects Wheel for olive oil, wine and beer.
10. Astrid Lorig: Lover of extra virgin olive oil. She is president of “OLIVE LOVE”
11. Julie Menge: She began in the 90s with UC Davis improving quality standards in olive oils elaborated in the  United States. She also gives classes on olive oil,  is a jury member and sits on many international competition panels.
12. Celina Pennisi: Argentinian sommelier, dedicated to the sensorial analysis of wine,  olive oil and honey. At present, she works in public relations for  “World Ranking of Wines & Spirits” and “Extra Virgin Olive Oil World Ranking”.
13. Chef David Teig: He began his career as a chef in New York. He continued in France in the 3-star Michelin restaurant Maison de Bricourt.  A lover of olive oils  and their fine qualities.
14. Maria Lourdes Toujas: Consultant in olive oil for Chile, Argentina and Uruguay.
15. Marino Uceda: Ojeda is possibly the best Spanish taster at present. He is an agricultural engineer from the  Universidad de Madrid and  holds his Doctorate from the  Universidad de Jaén. At the same time, he is an IFAPA researcher and and a  teacher  on the  Másters de Olicultura y Elaiotécnia de Córdoba courses, in Food Tecnology. Technical Director of the course  University Expert  in Virgin  Olive Oil Tasting at the Universidad de Jaén. Consultant FAO in several countries: Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Turkey in the field of  Elaiotechniques and Oliculture. Member of the Spanish delegation of  the IOC.
16. Mercedes Uceda Maza: Biologist and expert Spanish
17. Pablo Voitzuk: Argentinian, he studied the world of extra virgin olive oil with Marco Mugelli. He participates in other  internacional competitions such as: California Olive Oil Council, Japan Olive Oil Prize, Sol D’Oro, Verona and BIOL, Puglia, Italy.
18. Paul Vossen: currently works as a private consultant helping producers to improve the quality of their olive oils.
19. Glenn Weddell: Chef for more than 30 years in the most exclusive restaurants in Sacramento. From the Rolling Stones to Bill Clinton have called on his services.

So all in all, this new prize, this time, in the city of Los Angeles consolidates the position of the olive oils produced at Masía El Altet, placing them among the best extra virgin olive oils in the world.