Waiheke’s Rangihoua Olive Estate wins Best in Class award for New Zealand
Rangihoua Estate owner Anne Stanimiroff said visitors were pouring in to taste the grove’s award-winning olive oils.
Waiheke Island olive oil producers have done New Zealand proud in an international competition.
The Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards Southern Hemisphere 2016 attracted 101 entries from seven countries. The oils came from 45 producers based in Australia, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, South Africa and Uruguay.
And New Zealand did splendidly, with 13 winning oils – the third largest haul of awards. Twelve were all from Waiheke producers, with the thirteenth coming from The Olive Place in North Auckland’s Wellsford.
Waiheke premium olive oil producer Rangihoua Estate took the New Zealand producers’ Best of Class medal for its Medium, Waiheke Blend. It was one of only 12 southern hemisphere producers to win that accolade. The grove also won a silver for its Picual, in the robust category, and its Waiheke Blend and Frantoio oils received gold medals in the medium category.
Estate owner Anne Stanimiroff is delighted with the result. She said the season began by looking less than promising.
“It was a challenging year because we had a wetter summer overall.
“This meant some of the early fruit we picked was tasting a bit washed out.
“Fortunately, April and May were dry.
“That helped with the quality of fruit which ultimately enhanced the flavour profile.”
Two golds, five silvers and two bronzes were clocked up collectively by five other Waiheke producers – Azzuro Groves, Kennedy Point Vineyard, Man O’War, Matiatia Grove and Number 29. Stanimiroff said the awards could only enhance the island’s reputation as a consistent producer of outstanding extra virgin olive oil.
She said Waiheke was becoming known as a destination to visit because of its magnificent olive oil as well as its wines.
“We are seeing this in the increasing number of visitors to the grove who are interested in the process of pressing high quality extra virgin olive oil.
“Ten years ago, Rangihoua was only open at weekends during the the summer.
“Now we have tours come through every day all year round.”
Rangihoua Estate owner Anne Stanimiroff said visitors were pouring in to taste the grove’s award-winning olive oils. Waiheke’s Rangihoua Estate is on the road to Rocky Bay. Rangihoua harvests and crushes its own olives, as well as offering the service to other Waiheke producers.