Cherished for its well-balanced, harmonious flavor, the olive oil from Argentina's Olivares La Reconquista earned the coveted Best in Class Award at this year's NYIOOC.
Tucked away in San Roman, a rural region of Argentina’s Buenos Aires Province, is Olivares La Reconquista, an Italian-Argentine olive oil company that’s making a name for itself within the world of liquid gold.
Emotionally, the Best in Class Award was a mixture of joy and satisfaction and the reward we were looking for our efforts.- Pietro Buldorini, Olivares La Reconquista
The judging panel at the 2017 New York International Olive Oil Competition declared the company to be one of the World’s Best Olive Oils this year. It was also conferred the title Best in Class.
Fresh off the heels of the prestigious international award, Pietro Buldorini, founder and managing director of Olivares La Reconquista, spoke with Olive Oil Times. He said what makes his olive oil unique is the crucial production stages of his olives, all carefully managed from harvesting to cold-pressing of each drip of oil.
“We use only the fruits we produce and despite the intensive plantation we practice manual facilitated harvest according to tradition, with modern tools,” Buldorini said. He also emphasized that their mill inside the olive grove functions as a modern plant “where olives are taken to be transformed into EVOO.”
Buldorini also took the time to explain that the Argentine climate gives a particular character to the soil. Consequently, he noted, “the virginity of the unexploited soil, the closeness to the ocean and the mountains, the surrounding pastures, the extra clean air and the absence of parasites, such as the olive oil fly contribute to producing a good and safe extra virgin olive oil.”
Pesticides are not used in their olive oil production process.
When asked how he felt about winning the 2017 Best In Class at the world’s most prestigious olive oil competition, Buldorini responded that it was the first time they had participated in a competition since opening the business.
“In the past years, we concentrated on chemical analysis and panel tests of samples we took to Italy where the knowledge of EVOO is deep and the attention to it is very high,” Buldorini confessed. Only after the favorable test results were received did he feel confident in entering such a high-status competition.
“Emotionally, the Best in Class Award was a mixture of joy and satisfaction and the reward we were looking for our efforts,” he concluded.
Coinciding with its EVOO production in Argentina has been the establishment of an import/export company called Marche Olii Alimentari International. Based in Italy, the company manages the exportation, small and bulk orders, of Olivares La Reconquista into foreign markets. It also fulfills the company’s packaging and label needs.
Cherished for its well-balanced, harmonious flavor, Olivares La Reconquista is produced from Frantoio olives. Since 2012, the company, with assistance from technicians from Toscana Enologica Mori, has installed a modern working plant for the defoliation and washing of freshly collected olives. After harvest, the olives are placed in well-ventilated boxes and pressed into EVOO within 24-hours.
Add the traditional cultural techniques passed down from generation to generation and what you get is a savory, top-quality winner, that meets the gastronomic demands and caprice of its consumers.
More articles on: Argentina, NYIOOC World, NYIOOC World 2017
Jul. 6, 2023
This Small but Mighty Producer Takes a Traditional Cretan Variety to New Heights
Award-winning Silvergreen elevates the products of Crete via the Tsounati, a delicate but rewarding olive variety native to the Greek island.
Apr. 9, 2024
Legacy Meets Innovation at Tuscany’s Azienda Pometti
The latest generation of farmers at the 600-year-old Azienda Pometti is using state-of-the-art methods to produce award-winning, sustainable olive oil.
May. 11, 2023
Project Showcases the Potential of Chinese Olive Oil Sector
A cooperative in Longnan aims to foster China's olive oil culture and build value for local growers.
Jun. 21, 2023
Andalusian Producers Achieve Outstanding Quality After Disastrous Harvest
After the smallest harvest in more than a decade, producers in Spain earned their fourth-highest award count at the World Olive Oil Competition.
Jan. 29, 2024
Verde Louro Among Brazil's New Generation of Outstanding Producers
In Rio Grande do Sul, the young producer overcame climate extremes to win four awards at the World Olive Oil Competition.
Nov. 29, 2023
Chilean Producer Bets Big on Italian Varieties
Olivos Ruta del Sol takes advantage of Chile’s terroir to produce some of the country's best extra virgin olive oils.
Jun. 8, 2023
Olive Oil Producers in Middle East Enjoy Award-Winning Finish to Bumper Harvest
Producers in Lebanon, Israel and Jordan overcame economic challenges to celebrate success at the 2023 World Olive Oil Competition.
May. 30, 2023
East Asian Olive Oils Reach the World Stage
As extra virgin olive oil culture slowly expands in China and Japan, high-quality production in two of the world’s largest economies does too.