Olive oil: Istria declared world’s best region for 6th year in a row

by croatiaweek
October 9, 2020
in Food & Wine

9 October 2020 – The Croatian region of Istria has been declared the best extra virgin olive oil region in the world for the sixth year in a row, by leading guide Flos Olei.

Flos Olei, which is the first international extra virgin olive oil guide and ranks the best olive oils in the world in 54 olive-growing countries, have this year included 73 Croatian extra virgin olive oils in their latest 2021 guide. Out of the total number, 71 extra virgin olive oil producers from Istria were included.

For six consecutive years, Istria has defended its title with Istrian olive growers making up 14 percent of the world’s best olive growers in the guide, more than renowned olive oil nations like Italy and Spain.

“We are very proud of this success, but it seems that a lot of work is needed both in our country and abroad, to give this primacy full and true value, to become aware of it first in Croatia and then all those who promote Croatian gastronomy they proudly point this out. In the expectation that next year we will reach at least one grade of 99 points, I believe that the time has come and that six years of confirmation is enough proof to realise that we are the best in the world in something,” said Denis Ivošević, director of the Istria Tourist Board.

For the second year in a row, three olive growers from Istria got 98 points, and thirteen got 95 points. In recent years, Istria has been developing into the world’s strongest hub for premium and super-premium olive oils, to which the Chiavalon brothers have made a huge contribution these days, by opening one of the most technologically advanced oil mills in Europe.

Istria

New centres were also opened by the Ipša family in Optrlje, as well as the Vanđelić family in Bale, Oleum Maris and the Galić family from Grožnjan. In addition to the San Antonio oil mill, which was the first in Istria to specialise in strict biodynamic olive growing, the modern Pieralisi oil processing line was opened by the Beletić oil mill in Novigrad.