Top award for Kiwi olive oil

A Wairarapa olive oil has muscled aside international brands to win a top award in Los Angeles.

The Kiwi producers entered the Los Angeles Country Fair Olive Oils of the World competition and were judged alongside 318 oils from 19 countries in the international section.

A total of 477 oils were in the competition.

Ruakokoputuna Olives estate, near Martinborough – which won two gold medals at the competition in 2006 and three the following year – has just picked up a Best of Class along with a gold and a silver medal.

They take its haul to 20 international medals since its first oil was produced just five years ago.

It was the only New Zealand entry to get an International Best of Class.

Ruakokoputuna, owned and operated by Wellington photographer Mike Wilkinson and partner Wendy Fisher, was the only producer at the fair to get such a medal haul.

Mr Wilkinson said the awards, in which other New Zealand producers also walked away with medals, proved Kiwis oil producers could punch well above their weight.

- © Fairfax NZ News