Morgenster Extra Virgin Olive Oil achieves 98% in Flos Olei 2014 – one of the top 11 oils in the world
6 December 2013 Morgenster Extra
Virgin Olive Oil was awarded the top score of 98 points out of a possible 100
in the Flos Olei 2014 competition which assesses the world’s best olive oils.
The Estate also
received the “Made with Love” award in the section listing the world’s 20 best farms in the accompanyingFlos Olei 2014 - a guide to the world of extra virgin
olive oil (www.flosolei.com).
Giulio Bertrand, owner of the
Somerset West farm, went to Rome to accept the award on 1 December and
commented: “In last year’s Flos Olei we were excited to achieve 97 out of 100
for the fourth year in a row. But that year Flos Olei awarded 98 points for the
first time so we set a higher objective.
“This year, being one of only
11 oil producers in the world to achieve 98/100, the highest score ever
bestowed on an oil by such a top international panel of judges, makes me very
proud to bring this award home to South Africa”. The other ten farms are in
Spain (two), Italy (seven) and Chile (one).
Bertrand believes that the combination of Italian trees and expertise, an
exceptional South African terroir and a rigid approach to quality at every
stage of production has enabled Morgenster to achieve this level of excellence.
The Estate’s wines and olive
products are exported around the world. On their labels they feature the
Morning Star within a scallop shell as depicted on the front gable of the
Estate’s manor house.
Flavour profile
Morgenster Extra
Virgin Olive Oil bursts with multiple layers of flavour, the result of blending
oils from 14 different Italian cultivars grown, extracted and bottled on the
Morgenster Estate.
Flos Olei’s
description: “We recommend the Extra Virgin Morgenster, which is an intense
limpid golden yellow colour with slight green hues.
Its aroma is
definite and elegant, rich in vegetal hints of freshly mown grass, artichoke
and chicory, together with distinct notes of mint and rosemary.
Its taste is full
and strong, with a flavour of thistle, lettuce and black pepper. Bitterness and
pungency are distinct and balanced, with a sweet almond finish.
It would be ideal
on steamed beans, tomato salads, marinated salmon, vegetables au gratin,
chanterelle mushroom soups, risotto with artichokes, stewed shellfish, roast
fish, baked rabbit, grilled poultry, goat cheese”.
Flos Olei
Flos Olei 2014 is an annual guide (first edition 2010), which is
the first to deal on an international scale with the world’s best extra virgin
olive oils, providing information about the sector and directing readers towards
quality. www.flosolei.com It is also an international
competition involving an assessment of olive oils done by a panel of expert
tasters under the coordination of Marco Oreggia
(www.marco-oreggia.com). Tasters follow strictly controlled
tasting procedures.
About Flos Olei
· Flos
Olei 2014 is an annual international guide (first edition 2010), which is the
first to deal on an international scale with the world’s best extra virgin
olive oils, providing information about the sector and directing readers towards
quality. www.flosolei.com
· Flos
Olei is also an international competition involving an assessment of olive oils
done by a panel of expert tasters under the coordination of Marco Oreggia (www.marco-oreggia.com). Tasters follow strictly controlled
tasting procedures.
· Marco Oreggia, one of the world’s leading expert
tasters of extra virgin olive oil, is editor and publisher of Flos Olei. Vice
editor is Laura Marinelli.
· Flos Olei is a successor to L’Extravergine, an annual
Guide last published in 2009 after nine editions, also edited by Marco
Oreggia.
Morgenster
and Flos Olei/L’Extravergine
· Flos Olei 2014. Morgenster is one of 11 producers to
have achieved 98/100, the highest ever bestowed. These 11 farms are from Spain
(two), Italy (seven), South Africa (one - Morgenster), Chile (one).
· Flos Olei 2013. 14 producers achieved 97 points, six
from Spain, five from Italy, and one each from Croatia, Morocco and South
Africa (Morgenster). For the first time 98 points were awarded, achieved
by producers in Spain (one), Italy (five) and Chile (one).
· Flos Olei 2012. The 16 top achievers, scoring 97 out
of a possible 100 points, came from Spain (four), Italy (eight), Morocco (one)
Chile (two) and South Africa (one - Morgenster). Production from 43
countries on five continents was judged for Flos Olei 2012.
· Flos Olei 2011. Morgenster Extra Virgin Olive Oil
scored 97 points out of a possible 100. 97 was the highest score awarded and
Morgenster was the top South African producer. It shared 97 points with 11
other producers from Spain (two), Italy (six), Morocco (one) and Chile
(two). 455 producers from 42 countries on five continents were judged.
· Flos
Olei 2010. Eight oils, including Morgenster, were accorded the top score of 97
out of a possible 100.
· Morgenster
was judged “Best Blended Olive Oil in the world” L’Extravergine 2006
· A year later, Morgenster was judged “Mill of the year”
L’Extravergine 2007
Italian
input to Morgenster’s extra virgin olive oil:
When Bertrand moved
from Italy to South Africa in 1992 and bought Morgenster, he found that good
quality extra virgin olive oil was not being produced locally. When he learnt
that the farm’s terroir could produce olive oil and wine in line with the best
in the world, he established a long-term partnership with Prof. Giuseppe
Fontanazza of the Italian Institute of Olive Research. As a result Bertrand
imported 2000 olive trees of 14 cultivars from the north to the south and the
islands of Italy, and established them in his nursery. The farm now has over 50
hectares of olive groves covering 17 different Italian varieties. Prof
Fontanazza visits Morgenster during harvest to ensure that the most
up-to-date farming and processing practices are used.
