December 11, 2019 – The eleventh edition of the most influential guide to the world’s top extra virgin olive oils, Flos Olei 2020, was officially promoted in Rome last week. Istrian olive oil was once again in the international spotlight.
Namely, HRTurizam writes that Istria has once again been awarded the title of the highest-quality extra virgin olive oil region in the world, for the fifth consecutive time. This is especially important given the fact that the publication contains oils from around the world, that is, from 53 olive-growing countries. Better yet, Istrian olive oil makes up as much as 15 percent among the top 500 olive oils in the world.
Thus, in the new edition of this olive oil bible, 79 oils from the territory of Croatia are included, 77 of which are from Istria. There is also one oil listed from the island of Krk and one from Dalmatia. At the same time, most olive growers achieved better results than last year, which is proof of significant work on raising the quality and application of the latest scientific and technological developments in olive growing.
Such worldwide success certainly contributes to the branding of Croatia, and especially of Istria as a gastronomic destination, since extra virgin olive oil is a major food supplement and a staple of the Mediterranean diet, and is valued almost everywhere in the world for its organoleptic and medicinal properties.
“It sounds unreal and I would say pretentious, but for the fifth year in a row, Istria has been named the best olive oil region in the world. Since its first release in 2010, Istria has immediately taken on an important role and positioned itself as the second-best olive oil region, just behind Tuscany. But each year, Tuscany’s advantage has diminished, and at the end of 2016, it has occupied the leading position it retained to this day, but with a far greater difference than Tuscany previously had compared to Istria. It’s enough to say that Istria has 77 listed olive oils this year, and Tuscany 53. Even more important is the fact that more than 1,500 samples from all over the world arrive for evaluation, that a professional panel of tested tasters organoleptically test all received samples, that afterward, the best 500 in the world are selected and that within the top 500 Istria has 77, which is truly impressive,” says Denis Ivošević, director of the Istria County Tourist Board.
Ivošević also touched on one important topic, which is that Croatia must start respecting themselves, as others would start recognizing Croatia, and pointed out that it is of utmost importance that Croatia become aware of the fact that in no discipline, in any industry, in sports or any other significant competition, or simply in places where reputation is gained and confirmed, does Croatia have such success as the Istrian olive oil region.
“We are very proud of this fact, but it seems that there is still a lot of work to be done both in our country and abroad, that this primacy bears full and true value, that we become aware of it first in Croatia, and that all those who promote Croatian gastronomy proudly point it out. I believe that the time has come and that five years of validation is proof enough to make us aware that we are in the best of something in the world,” concluded Ivošević.
You can find the Flos Olei 2020 guide here.
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