Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/866424
www.gourmetnews.com 12 Oli e Aceti • Gourmet News Lucero Olive Oil Wins Multiple Awards Lucero Olive Oil, LLC, announced a record-breaking year on the competition circuit with 52 awards from New York, California, Tokyo, Calabria, and Jerusalem, including 30 gold medals, two best of show and two best of class dis- tinctions. More than 40 awards came through four prestigious international competitions dis- tinguished by high standards and discern- ing juries: Olive Japan International Olive Oil Competition, New York International Olive Oil Competition, Domina Interna- tional Olive Oil Competition and TerraO- livo Mediterranean International Olive Oil Competition. Judges for each of these competitions are trained professionals in the industry and held to the highest standard. Lucero only participates in competitions where such standards exist. Among the top awards, Lucero Olive Oil's single variety As- colano EVOO received "Best of Show Premier Gold" in the Olive Japan Competition, and a "Best of Class Grand Prestige Gold" in the TerraOlivo Competition for the Persian Lime Agrumato Olive Oil. However, the most acknowledged Lucero extra virgin olive oil this year is the single variety Barnea, taking home a gold award in every competition entered this year. Olive oil producers face the monu- mental task of verifying authenticity and quality every year. For Lucero Olive Oil, this quality assurance process begins in January with an annual audit of its latest harvest oils by the California Depart- ment of Food and Agriculture. Once ver- ified, Lucero selects its best micro-lots for the Lucero brand and sends them around the world for the industry's mar- quee competitions between March and early June. Lucero General Manager Liz Tagami explains, "Our customers rely on us to provide them with high quality, au- thentic oil, which we validate each year with the state. We are committed to of- fering folks premium quality extra virgin olive oils that are delicious and the best expression of what a particular olive va- riety can be." "We are extremely pleased with the re- sults this year, and we are humbled by our hard work being recognized around the world," says Master Miller Larry Treat. "We have excellent crew coordina- tion between hand harvesting and ma- chine harvesting operations and our milling team – these awards are certainly a team effort." GN California Extra Virgin Olive Oils from B.R. Cohn In 1990, B.R. Cohn Olive Oil Company was founded and began producing gour- met olive oil, one of the first made in Sonoma Valley in almost a century. The B.R. Cohn Estate contains over 450 pi- choline olive trees (French word from pic- colo – meaning small, petite) imported from France in the mid-1800s. This his- toric grove of picholine olive trees led to the naming of the vineyard as the Olive Hill Estate. B.R. Cohn Olive Oil Company was one of the founding members of the California Olive Oil Council. The mission of the COOC is to uphold the highest quality standards within the olive oil industry and encourage the consumption of certified California extra virgin olive oil. Today, all of its extra virgin olive oils have passed the COOC's rigorous testing and bear the extra virgin olive oil seal of quality. The California Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil is B.R. Cohn's best selling light-bodied, aromatic oil and is full on the palate, with bright olive fruit and floral undertones. A custom blend of olives is pressed within hours of harvest to ensure freshness. It is a go-to daily extra virgin olive oil for sautéing and grilling. Certified organic by QAI, the Organic California Extra Virgin Olive Oil is medium-bodied with sweet grass and flo- ral undertones, fresh olive fruit flavors and a slight white pepper finish, crafted from organically farmed olives that are grown, harvested and pressed in California under the strictest conditions. Grown in northern Cali- fornia, B.R. Cohn's Unfil- tered Extra Vir- gin Olive Oil is a unique blend of olives. The deli- cate fruit flavor and peppery fin- ish create a ver- satile olive oil for a variety of culinary needs. B.R. Cohn's Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a blend of Tus- can varietals grown in California with a defined pepper, spice and grassy flavor and a full-bodied finish. Drizzle over pasta, sprinkle over salads or use to marinate meats. Find more information about B.R. Cohn's extra virgin and flavored olive oils, plus a full line of wine inspired and balsamic vinegars online at www.brcohn.com. GN "We are extremely pleased with the results this year, and we are humbled by our hard work being recognized around the world." — Master Miller Larry Treat