Cape Town - South Africa's top extra virgin olive oils were honoured at the 2014 Absa Top 5 Olive Oil Awards.
SA Olive and Absa instituted the Top 5 competition in 2013 as an extention to the annual SA Olive Awards.
The Top 5 olive oils are selected from the ranks of the top achievers in the SA Olive Awards by a panel of olive oil experts, including Mauro Amelio of the National Association of Olive Oil Tasters in Italy.
The top producers in this year's Top 5 competion are Groote Vallei, Morgenster, Rio Largo and Willow Creek.
Rio Largo won for its Rio Largo Premium Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil (intense) and Rio Largo Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil (medium).
Groote Vallei won for its Groote Vallei Extra Virgin Olive Oil (medium), Morgenster won for the Morgenster Extra Virgin Olive Oil (intense) and Willow Creek for its Willow Creek Estate Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil (medium).
The runners-up were Eden Olives Muiskraal Extra Virgin Olive Oil (delicate), Gabriëlskloof Extra Virgin Olive Oil (medium), Marbrin Olive Growers Intense Extra Virgin Olive Oil (intense), Mulderbosch Extra Virgin Olive Oil (intense) and Willow Creek Food Lover’s Signature Extra Virgin Olive Oil (medium).
According to the organisers the competition provides a platform for the South African olive oil industry to showcase its very finest.
"South African oils are regularly recognised around the world for their quality and distinctiveness and competitions like the Absa Top 5 play a pivotal role in educating local consumers about the industry and its diverse spectrum of products," said Willie Zastron, Absa provincial head for business banking in the Western Cape.