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Of the ten oils evaluated by the sensory analysis panel, three are clearly outstanding. The winning oils are:
Marqués de Valdueza (Canaleja S.A., Spain) with a score of 4.8 out of 5. This is an intense, aromatic oil with fruity flavours of apple, fresh herbs and almonds and notes of dried fruit. Soft, slightly bitter and pungent.
Andy: very light, beautiful balance.
Guillaume: scents of basil and greens; smooth silky texture; a favourite.
Olivier: nice in nose, pleasantly light, persistently bitter but not aggressive.
The panel conclusions correspond well to the sensory evaluation made by an independent laboratory, and are also consistent with the many awards that this exceptional oil has earned. Congratulations to the Álvarez family from Toledo who created this outstanding oil!
Desert Miracle (Agro Health SARL, Morocco) with a note of 4.3 out of 5. Produced in an oasis in the desert, this oil stands out from the get-go. Andy: fruity, herbaceous and notes of black olive in the mouth; aroma of toasted almonds.
Ari: powerful flavours and strong overall intensity. Bitter at final.
Guillaume: well-balanced fruitiness and bitterness; a favourite.
Olivier: enjoyable fruitiness in nose; bitter in mouth at final.
This oil has been chosen by many critics around the world, including La Presse food critic Marie-Claude Lortie.
DOP Kolymvari Single Estate (Terra Creta, Greece) with a note of 4.0 out of 5.
This result comes as no surprise. This oil has a coveted Guarantee of Origin label and is recognized as one of the best olive oils in the world in its category.
The big surprise is its price. It has one of the best quality-price ratios of all olive oils tested. A true bargain!
Guillaume: well balanced, pleasant oil.
Olivier: overall aromatic intensity; bitter and persistent flavours in the mouth.
A panel of four experts conducted a sensory analysis of extra virgin olive oils on August 26.
The experts used criteria based on the International Olive Oil Council standards to conduct blind tests on 10 olive oils. It is important to keep in mind that fruitiness, bitterness and pungency are three positive attributes for olive oils.
Ariadne Beristáin Gil. With a university degree in food chemistry, Ari is a specialist in sensory analysis with more than eight years of experience in this field. She is now in charge of the organoleptic evaluation of all food products offered by OGourmet.
Andy Brasseur is a specialist in sensory analysis accredited in the Jacques Puisais method (France). She is president of the Quebec Tasting Institute, a speaker and a sensory awakening trainer. Andy is one of the few experts in this field in Canada.
Olivier de Maisonneuve received the title of Sommelier-Adviser from the University of Wine in Suze-la-Rousse (France) in 2006. Since then he has worked as a consultant for the Quebec Liquor Board, both for selecting new products and evaluating products in wine competitions. He is also a sought-after speaker.
Chef Guillaume Goulet earned his cooking stripes at Relais Gourmand (L’Eau à la Bouche hotel) in Quebec, and then in France where he worked in several renowned restaurants. Upon his return he was a chef at Toqué!, one of the best restaurants in Canada. He now provides private catering under the Chef Privé banner.
Three oils were clearly identified as outstanding and are described separately in another article. The overall results will be published soon in an olive oil guide.
Except for wine and certain specialty products, the publication of the results of sensory evaluation tests of gourmet products is uncommon in North America. OGourmet has decided to help fill that gap by launching its own panels of sensory analysis of fine products.
These panels have two major goals:
Each panel will also pursue specific objectives:
All OGourmet sensory analysis panels carry out blind tests. Panel members do not know the product or producer names before testing.
The first OGourmet sensory analysis panel was conducted August 26 on extra virgin olive oils (EVOO).
Olivier de Maisonneuve received the Sommelier-Adviser title from the University of Wine in Suze-la-Rousse (France) in 2006.
Since then he has worked as a consultant for the SAQ*, both for selecting new products and for evaluating products in wine competitions. He is also a sought-after speaker.
Olivier offers consulting services for the preparation and management of wine tasting events.
We are pleased to present this new collaborator, who will no doubt make a dynamic contribution to the sensory analysis panels organized by OGourmet.
* SAQ (Société des alcools du Québec) is a Quebec state-owned corporation responsible for sales of alcoholic beverages.
As of July 20, OGourmet has been accepting orders to be delivered to any address within the territory of the United States. This might seem to be a simple affair, but it in fact required very significant efforts to modify our on-line transaction systems to meet the requirements of U.S. federal authorities.
But the results are impressive! As soon as the system is informed that a client wishes to send an order to the United States, only products that can be shipped to the USA are displayed, and prices are automatically adjusted to include any applicable custom fees. As simple as that!
To meet the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA Prior Notice) and U.S. Customs, all documents are created in real time, without any additional intervention from the client.
For the moment, shipments are made via Canada Post and the United States Postal Service. In a few months, other courier services will be added.
LeRenard.ca is a new group discount purchase site recently launched by Cyberpresse, the Internet portal for La Presse and other Gesca newspapers.
One of the initial partners of this site, OGourmet is offering an exceptional promotion: a $40 coupon for only $20.
Click on this link to get there.
If you want to take advantage of this offer, hurry, because quantities are limited!
SIAL Canada is part of the SIAL international network of annual professional trade shows held in Buenos Aires, Paris, Montreal and Toronto (in alternating fashion), and Shanghai.
The jury was chaired by Christine Cheylan, Ph.D., manager of an oil mill in France and an expert in olive oil tasting. The other members were:
Continue reading "Winners of the Olive d’Or 2011 Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition" »
Ari continues to offer useful comments. More than 25 specific products have been selected and reviewed by Ari.
These are always outstanding products, whether in terms of an exceptional quality-price ratio or simply because they are deemed to be the best regardless of price.
Check her web page for her most recent suggestions!
Ari has lost no time in her advisory role, and now has comments on more than 15 products.
These are always outstanding products, whether in terms of an exceptional quality-price ratio, or simply because they are deemed to be the best regardless of price.
Check her web page for her most recent suggestions!
