Follow the ceremony live today, 10 November, at 10:00 a.m. in Uruguay / 2:00 p.m. in mainland Spain.

The International Olive Council (IOC) will celebrate excellence in extra virgin olive oil today at the prize-giving ceremony for the third edition of the Mario Solinas Quality Award for the Southern Hemisphere, hosted at the Laboratorio Tecnológico del Uruguay (LATU) in Montevideo.

Abderraouf Laajimi, the IOC’s Deputy Executive Director for Operational Affairs, will attend the ceremony, recognising the achievements of producers and their commitment to quality.

This year’s competition recognised eight extra virgin olive oils from Argentina, Brazil, South Africa and Uruguay. A total of 24 oils were entered and assessed by an international jury of eight expert tasters, whose evaluations considered their aromatic and flavour characteristics, harmony, complexity and persistence. Discover the winners of the 2026 edition.

Launched in 2024, the dedicated Southern Hemisphere edition follows a calendar adapted to the region’s harvest season. After its inaugural edition in Uruguay and a second edition in Argentina, the competition returns to Uruguay for its third edition, highlighting the diversity and quality of extra virgin olive oils produced across the hemisphere.

Named in honour of Mario Solinas, a pioneer in the sensory analysis of virgin olive oil, the award recognises producers’ expertise and helps consumers discover the rich variety of aromas and flavours found in exceptional extra virgin olive oils.

Join us online to celebrate this year’s winners: watch the ceremony live from 10:00 a.m. Uruguay time / 2:00 p.m. mainland Spain time.

[Watch live]