Who are the winners of the Spain Food Award for Best AOVEs 2024/25?

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food has awarded the Spain Food Award for Best Extra Virgin Olive Oils for the 2024-2025 campaign, both in the conventional production category, with its "Green Bitter Fruit," "Green Sweet Fruit," and "Ripe Fruit" subcategories, as well as in the organic production category. In this edition, the extra virgin olive oil that received the highest organoleptic score in the blind tasting, and therefore won the Special Spain Food Award, was the oil presented by VENCHIPA S.L., from Ventas de Huelma (Granada).

This oil, which was also awarded the best in the "Green Bitter Fruit" category, is characterized by its very intense green olive fruitiness, with notes of alloza, tomato, artichoke, olive leaf, and green fruits like banana and apple. It features nuts such as walnut and aromatic herbs like rosemary. On the palate, it starts slightly sweet and bitter with a medium-high pungency. It is a balanced, harmonious oil with great complexity.

The finalists in this category were oils presented by the cooperatives Andaluza del Campo El Alcázar, from Baeza (Jaén), and Andaluza Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, from Jimena (Jaén), both from the DOP Sierra Mágina.

The best oil in the "Green Sweet Fruit" category was awarded to the oil presented by the Agrícola de Bailén Virgen de Zocueca cooperative, from Bailén (Jaén). It is characterized by an intense green olive fruitiness with green descriptors of tomato, alloza, mint, and artichoke. Citrus, banana, apple, and olive leaf notes are also present. On the palate, it starts sweet and bitter with medium intensity pungency. The result is a balanced and complex oil.

Finalists in this category were oils presented by Marín Serrano El Lagar, from Carcabuey (Córdoba) from the DOP Priego de Córdoba, and Aceites Campoliva, from Pegalajar (Jaén).

In the "Ripe Fruit" category, the award went to the oil presented by Agrària Espluguense i Secció de Crèdit, from L'Espluga Calba (Lleida), from the DOP Les Garrigues. It is characterized by an intense olive fruitiness with mature notes of almond, banana, peach, pear, and apple. Nuts and sweet spices like cinnamon stand out. On the palate, it starts sweet with a slight bitterness and pungency. The overall result is a harmonious and balanced oil.

The finalists in this category were oils presented by Agrícola Sant Isidre i Secció de Crèdit Juncosa de Les Garrigues, from Juncosa (Lleida) and also from the DOP Les Garrigues, and Centre Oleícola del Penedès, from Llorenç del Penedès (Tarragona), from the DOP Siurana.

In the Organic Production category, the award went to the oil presented by Finca la Torre, from Antequera (Málaga), characterized by an intense green olive fruitiness with notes of grass, alloza, and olive leaf, as well as green fruits like banana and apple. On the palate, it starts slightly sweet with bitterness and medium-high pungency. It is a balanced, persistent oil with great complexity.

The finalists in this category were oils presented by Oro Bailén Galgón 99, from Villanueva de la Reina (Jaén), and Almazaras de la Subbética, from Carcabuey (Córdoba), from the DOP Priego de Córdoba.

The selection process for the winning oils, including sensory evaluation and physicochemical analysis, took place at the Agro-Food Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food. For sensory evaluation, the heads of the different official tasting panels from public administrations participated, led and coordinated by the head of the Ministry’s panel. Throughout the selection process, traceability and anonymity were ensured for the 53 samples that participated in this edition of the competition.

These awards, which are part of the promotional actions of the Spain Food strategy, aim to highlight the excellence of Spanish olive oils and promote their recognition and appreciation among consumers.