2024 Mario Solinas Award: Tunisia Ranks Second Among 11 Participating Countries
Among the 11 countries participating in the 2024 edition of the Mario Solinas Award, organized by the International Olive Council (COI), three have won the gold medal, with Tunisia ranking second in this edition.
Launched in December 2024, this competition brought together 130 samples of extra virgin olive oils from Algeria, China, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, and Turkey.
The oils were submitted by individual producers, associations, and packaging companies. According to the competition rules, they were categorized into the following groups: intense green fruity, medium green fruity, light green fruity, ripe fruity, small producers, and packers.
An international jury composed of nine experts in tasting evaluated the samples based on olfactory, gustatory, and retronasal criteria, as well as harmony, complexity, and persistence of aromas.
Spanish oils dominated this edition with 25 out of 32 awards, followed by Tunisia, Italy, Portugal, and Croatia. The award ceremony will take place on May 22nd at the COI headquarters in Madrid.
Created in 1993 in tribute to Dr. Mario Solinas, an Italian chemist and influential member of the COI expert group, this award recognizes the fundamental contribution of his work in developing the first scientific method for organoleptic evaluation of extra virgin olive oils.
The competition aims to reward oils with the best organoleptic characteristics, while encouraging olive growers, companies, and packers to strive for excellence. It also seeks to raise consumer awareness of the sensory quality of extra virgin olive oil.
Since 2024, an edition of the competition has also been organized in the Southern Hemisphere to reflect the diversity of terroirs, varieties, climates, and know-how that enrich the world of extra virgin olive oil.
