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The IOC’s prestigious Mario Solinas Quality Award competition, which is awarded every year to the best extra virgin olive oils, will be travelling to Uruguay in 2024, as part of a new special edition of the competition dedicated solely to oils from the southern hemisphere.
This initiative opens the door to a host of exceptional extra virgin olive oils from the olive-growing regions of the southern hemisphere.
The IOC’s Mario Solinas Quality Award competition for the quality of extra virgin olive oils was launched during the 2000-2001 crop year to honour and commemorate the memory of Italian professor Mario Solinas, a great promoter of the sensory analysis of virgin olive oil. The competition’s main aim is to reward extra virgin olive oils with the best sensory attributes in each of the categories set out in the competition rules. As well as recognising the meticulous work and dedication of producers, this competition is a benchmark in the olive sector and encourages producers to reach new heights in terms of quality.
Given the difference between the olive harvesting periods in the southern and northern hemispheres, Uruguay proposed launching a specific edition of the Mario Solinas Quality Award, adapted to the harvesting period in southern hemisphere countries. This request was studied by IOC experts in organoleptic assessment and approved by the Organisation’s Council of Members at its 118th session in November 2023. The 2024 edition will therefore take place in Uruguay. The principle of alternating between Uruguay and Argentina has been suggested for the organisation of future editions of the Mario Solinas Quality Award in the southern hemisphere.
This decision underlines the IOC’s commitment to promoting and strengthening the excellence and quality of olive oils worldwide. It also reflects the desire to encourage international cooperation, share best practices and recognise producers of exceptional extra virgin olive oils around the world.
This initiative will also strengthen the links between the IOC and southern hemisphere countries, with the hope that it will encourage new countries in this region to join the international organisation.
The rules of the first edition of the Mario Solinas Quality Award for the southern hemisphere are available here in English, French and Spanish.
The samples for the 2024 crop year and the required documents must be sent before 15 August 2024 to the following address: Laboratorio Tecnológico del Uruguay – Sede Central – Av. Italia 6201, 11500 Montevideo, Uruguay.
