Images: Rio Vista

One of the tiniest olives has taken out one of the state’s biggest prizes. Family-run Rio Vista’s single-variety Koroneiki has been named South Australia’s Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Show at the Royal Adelaide Olive Awards.

The judges called it fresh and intense, with aromas of “cut grass, rocket, green beans, orange blossom, spice, green tea and nettle.” On the palate, green banana and red apple meet bitter salad leaves, with a light mouthfeel, harmonious bitterness, jalapeño heat and a lingering chocolate warmth.

“It was an early harvest this year, so the grassiness has really come to the fore, but it still pairs with a fantastic fruitiness,” says manager Leon Bettio. “We’re always proud of our Koroneiki, but this year it really shone in its complexity and depth

See Full Page