Central Otago not only produces award-winning wines, it also produces award-winning olive oil.

For the 4th year running, Dunford Grove near Cromwell has won a national award for its olive oil.

Owners Sandy Black and Jocelyn Robinson are justifiably pleased with their Olives NZ Silver award for their Dunford Grove Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

And the award is not the first. Jocelyn said they had entered an oil each year for four years, and won an award each time.

“Last year we were awarded bronze, in 2018 we won gold and ‘Best in Class’.

“In 2018 the fruit was beautiful; it was ready to pick in April instead of May and June, and it produced this really intense and flavoursome oil.”

“The year before that, we got a bronze, and that was the first year we entered.”

Sandy and Jocelyn are justifiably proud of their Silver award for this year’s extra virgin olive oil.

Jocelyn said five years ago, they bought a house with an olive grove. It was the idyllic dream of a house nestled in front of an olive grove, the lake, a boat, a dream lifestyle. 

Jocelyn had a career in the food industry, but neither of them knew anything about olives. In that first year, she said, they were very busy learning about olives and olive oils and working in the grove.

“It was a steep learning curve that first year.”

As to their winning formula, Jocelyn said she couldn’t put her finger on any one element.

“It’s the terroire, and how you look after the trees as they are growing; and we don’t spray.

“It’s also about the weather, the season that you get to work with – how much water, how much frost.

“We lost a third of the crop this year because it was frosted.”

Jocelyn said in Central Otago olives are picked earlier than in the rest of the country, because of the need to watch out for the frosts.

“If the fruit is frosted, you don’t pick it because it taints the oil, and you don’t get an extra virgin olive oil.”

Picking at the right time was vital, Jocelyn said, then processing as soon as possible once the fruit was picked.

“We pick all morning and then take the fruit up at lunchtime; then we pick for the afternoon, take up the next load and return with the morning’s oil.”

Jocelyn said they kept all their different varieties separate, and after one to two months once they had a completely clear oil, she tasted and blended.

“We have mainly Tuscan varieties, as they suit our temperatures down here, and then we have some Picholine, which is a French variety and some Manzanilla, which is a Spanish table olive.”

“I guess the whole process after the oil has been pressed, then tasting and blending according to taste is part of what won us the award.

“You’re blending to get a particular balance of fruitiness, bitterness and pungency.”

Jocelyn is a regular at the Cromwell Produce Market each Thursday.

Winning gold in only their second year had really been a surprise, as Jocelyn pointed out they were still relative novices.

“We’re less concerned about volume of oil, and more concerned about flavour and quality.

“When we say its extra virgin, it really is extra virgin.”

Jocelyn said oils can’t be called ‘extra virgin’ unless they meet specific parameters, and they have to be tested to prove they do.

“Extra virgin has to have the right peroxide value, it’s got to have the right polyphenols, it’s got to have a flavour profile.

“Olives New Zealand send our oil to Australia for testing, and you are told whether it meets their requirements for ‘extra virgin’ or not.

“New Zealand sets quite high standards; our requirements are even tougher than those set by the International Olive Council.

“Our extra virgin oils meet all those requirements; having that certification makes a difference.”

Jocelyn said they put that New Zealand certification on their labels, but it was just as important to have the Central Otago Olive Growers Group certification. That way people knew they were buying a truly Central Otago oil.

“The decision not to spray our fruit has also made a difference to sales, because more and more people want oil without that sort of stuff in it.”

Jocelyn said the judges’ comments from the oil that had won silver this year said they had found flavour notes of vanilla, banana and almond, a strong pungency and persistence.

“This year, I didn’t include the Pendolino in the blend, it added way too much bitterness.

“So it was a blend based on Frantoio and Leccino.”

Jocelyn said last year, seven New Zealand olive oils had won gold medals in the New York olive oil awards.

“That’s pretty impressive - we really do make some good olive oils here in New Zealand.”

Photos supplied

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