Morgenster is the only South African producer to win gold, taking the delicate fruity category. Gold for medium fruity and intense fruity categories went to estates in Chile and Argentina.
Owner of Morgenster Giulio Bertrand, is keenly watching the performance of his new season’s olive oil, as this was the first harvest to be extracted by his new, state-of-the-art Pieralisi press which he imported and installed at the beginning of the year. “It is the only one of its kind in South Africa and one of the first in the world to feature this most advanced technology. Because it is very efficient we retain even better flavour than before. The quality of our 2017 olive oil is fantastic!” Bertrand said.
Sol d’Oro Southern Hemisphere competition judges extra virgin olive oils produced in countries south of the Equator. 10 highly qualified international olive oil experts from seven countries judged entries from Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Uruguay and Australia Sol d’Oro under the authoritative panel leadership of Marina Giorgetti. This year, Osaka was found to be an area of optimal convergence for operators from southern hemisphere countries. Previous competitions were held in Chile, South Africa and Australia.
About Morgenster Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The 2017 Morgenster extra virgin olive oil also won a gold medal in the intense category at the SA Olive Awards at the end of August. In that competition the Estate’s two single cultivar olive oils also received silver medals, Morgenster Monte Marcello in the delicate style category, and Morgenster Don Carlo in the intense category. Morgenster extra virgin olive oil then went on to be recognised as one of South Africa’s top 10 olive oils in the Absa Top 10 competition announced on 27 September.
The Estate’s flagship oil is a secret blend of 14 Italian varieties. Freshly cut grass is the first to tease the nose, followed by secondary aromas of green tomatoes, almonds, artichokes and green apples. In the mouth there is an intense concentration of fruit flavours, with a very clean finish. Bitterness on the roof of the mouth and a peppery burn down the back of the throat confirm the characteristics of an excellent quality oil. It is delicious with salads, over bruschetta, on grilled fish, roast vegetables or stir fries. It also makes excellent mayonnaise.
Morgenster is Dutch for “morning star”. The morning star within a scallop shell as depicted on the front gable of Morgenster's beautiful manor house, the private home of owner Giulio Bertrand, is the Estate's signature and features on the labels and embossed bottles of its fine wines and olive products. www.morgenster.co.za