Olive producer Grampians Olive Co was a big winner at this month’s Australian Golden Olive Awards, with three of its certified-organic, estate-grown extra virgin olive oils awarded gold medals.

The annual awards, hosted by Olive Producers North East Victoria Inc, are open to olive groves across Australia, allowing participants from every state and territory to benchmark their products against the best. 

Grampians Olive Co’s Olio Nuovo, a limited-release first-harvest organic extra virgin olive oil, pressed from green olives at the start of each harvest, won both a gold medal and the distinction of best in class.

Judges praised the oil’s quality.

“Vibrant green aromas with green apple, green pear, green bean, orange juice and meadow aromas,” the judging notes read.

“Good transfer with additional notes of iceberg lettuce, fresh green herbs and orange zest. Elegant building heat and balanced bitterness, clean mouthfeel.”

The grove’s original and most popular organic extra virgin olive oil, Signature, also received a gold medal.

“Fresh pronounced aromas of fresh tomato sugo, sweet green grass, lemon pith and fresh herb,” the judge’s comments read.

“Palate matches with fresh tomato notes, green olives, endive and iceberg, hints of cacao.  Balanced bitterness and white pepper heat that increases and expands with a clean lean mouthfeel.”

Grampians Olive Co’s late-harvest organic extra virgin olive oil Delicate, which is pressed from riper purple olives, received a gold medal for its ‘soft fragrant aromas of almond, spice, malt and hints of sweet lemon … with traces of nutmeg and cinnamon, creamy mouthfeel, with a late fine pepperiness and bitterness’.

Grampians Olive Co also won a silver for its Robust Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which was cold pressed from Australian olives sourced from other growers in response to drought and heatwave conditions that affected recent crops. Grampians Olive Co owner-operator Greg Mathews said he was thrilled with the wins.

“Olio Nuovo, Signature and Delicate are all produced from olives grown on our certified-organic dryland family grove in the foothills of the Grampians,” he said.

“Each oil represents a different expression of our 2026 harvest, from the vibrant early-harvest character of Olio Nuovo through to the softer, fruitier style of Delicate.

“Dryland olive growing means every season brings its own challenges. 

“To have all three of our certified-organic, estate-grown oils awarded gold at the 2026 Australian Golden Olive Awards is a result my parents and I are particularly proud of.

“It reflects what we focus on each harvest: growing quality fruit, harvesting at the right time and milling carefully on-farm to produce fresh Australian extra virgin olive oil with genuine flavour.” 

The entire September 30, 2026 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!