SA Olive Awards Archives

Absa Top 10 MC – who is Joseph Dhafana?

13/09/2019

Joseph hails from Zimbabwe and has made a name for himself in the wine industry as a winemaker (Mosi Wines), qualified wine judge, and sommelier at the renowned La Colombe restaurant.

Joseph first tasted wine in 2010 at the age of 28. ‘I began to love wine and its many nuances. I wanted more than just to drink it, but was eager to understand it, share it, and to make it’. (Reference: wantedonline.co.za) Joseph’s winery, Mosi Wines, produces 100% Syrah, 100% Chenin, and 100% Merlot wines.

From humble beginnings, Joseph has gone on to make a big imprint on the wine industry in a very short time. Just to mention a few of the accolades under his belt: he was part of the South African team that won the 2015 South African wine tasting championships and represented South Africa in France at the Wold Blind Champs in the same year. He’s also been the captain of Team Zimbabwe in the same competition a few years running, as well as head judge for the Sommelier Selection and the Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 challenge.

We look forward to spending the day with Joseph on 27 September – when South Africa’s top 10 extra virgin olive oils will be celebrated.

Nick’s Speech – SA Olive Awards 2019

28/08/2019

“Reach out to your fellow South Africans and educate them as to how quality olive oil can assist with general health.”

SA Olive Mentorship Award 2019

28/08/2019

Piet Visser from Olyfberg, SA Olive’s 2019 Mentorship Award winner, is a man whose soul feels most at home on the farm. From his humble beginnings as a general farmworker on Olyfberg in 1997, Piet has gone on to become a supervisor and has his eye on a production manager position.

SA Olive Awards – SA’s Top Extra Virgin Olive Oils – 2019

23/08/2019

Eighty-one locally produced extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) received medals at the SA Olive awards ceremony held last night at Ex Nihilo. Popular local television and radio personality, Liezel van der Weshuizen, added her special charm to the event as MC. Of the 93 oils entered, 25 received gold medals, 35 silver, and 21 bronzes. This makes a total of 87% of the oils entered worthy of medals.

SA EVOOs are top-notch

19/08/2019

Last week three international and five local olive oil tasters came together to judge the 93 South African extra virgin olive oils (EVOO) entered into the SA Olive awards. The overwhelming feedback from the judges was that our local oils are superb. Special mention was made by a number of judges about the excellent flavour profiles of the entries into the delicate category.

Jose Mingo, an international taster from Chile, remarked on the unique fresh cut grass and wild herb qualities of the South African EVOOs. He went on to say that ‘South African producers can comfortably market their oils internationally with these distinctive flavour profiles as an element of differentiation in the market’.

For panel leader, Müge Nebioğlu, it was her first introduction to such a vast array of South African EVOOs. Müge commented that ‘the judging was an incredible experience and the oils were excellent. SA producers are very knowledgeable and their use of modern technology produces very good oils’.

The judges also talked about the effect of the continued drought on the quality of SA’s EVOOs and the fact that it has by and large not had a negative impact yet.

This Thursday evening is the big night when the producers find out which of their oils made the nod for the bronze, silver or gold medals in the SA Olive awards. This will be followed by the Absa Top 10 awards on 27 September.