Maestrod'olio 2024: the best artisanal extra virgin olive oils of the new olive growing campaign

385 labels from 163 companies present in the competition dedicated to the best Extra Virgin Olive Oils, curated by Fausto Borella. 45 new entry companies in the ranking. Tuscany leads the way in terms of number of awards, followed by Sicily, Umbria, Calabria, Puglia, followed by Campania and Sardinia

They are 385 labels are included in Maestrod'olio's 2024 guide, the national olive oil exhibition that every year celebrates the best Evo productions of the Bel Paese. The competition organized by the Meastrod'olio Academy founded by Fausto Borella which, for over 20 years, has been promoting Italian artisanal extra virgin olive oil through the organization of events, specialization courses dedicated to the public, sector workers and all enthusiasts, has awarded 163 companies from all over Italy by selecting 385 labels worthy of mention .

Tuscany leads the way in terms of number of awards, followed by Sicily, Umbria, Calabria, Puglia, followed by Campania and Sardinia

45 companies obtained the first recognition, the Maestrod'olio Crowns, awarded to the courageous producers who, during the last and complex oil campaign, particularly distinguished themselves for the quality of their extra virgin olive oils. The most represented regions are Tuscany with 10 awarded companies followed by Sicily and Umbria, with 6 awards each, Calabria and Puglia tied with 5 crowned companies, followed by Campania and Sardinia.

I am instead 20 Maestrod'olio Gems assigned by the guide which sees Tuscany in the lead with 8 companies, followed by Puglia and Umbria with 3, Marche with 2, Abruzzo, Calabria, Campania, Molise and Sicily close with one company.

The ceremony awards ceremony will be held on 8 July in Lucca at the Antico Caffè delle Mura. An important meeting moment that will be included in the very rich program of ExtraLucca Summer Edition 2024, the event which, from 1 July to 3 August, will enliven the evocative spaces of the Loggiato Pretorio in Piazza San Michele in Lucca. Now in its tenth edition, Extralucca confirms itself as a unique opportunity to celebrate excellent Italian EVO oils and will see the participation of 25 companies from 14 Italian regions and 10 large wineries in the country.

“With great pride – underlines Fausto Borella, President of the Maestrod'Olio Academy – I want to highlight not only the awarded companies, but all those who have entered this edition with great merit. The Competition stands as a point of reference for all enthusiasts and connoisseurs, as well as for all beginners eager to learn more about the magnificent world of extra virgin olive oil. Also and above all at this moment there is a need to support Italian, artisanal and quality oil".

And in terms of helping companies, the Academy is involved in supporting many of the most important olive growing companies in the Peninsula and beyond, carrying out agronomic consultancy and marketing start-ups in Italy and abroad, in support of producers. In fact, professional consultancy continues to be given to the Royal Family of Ras Al Khaimah, in the United Arab Emirates, where Sheikh Saʿūd bin Ṣaqr al-Qāsimī has invested Borella and his team with the task of following the production of the approximately 3.000 olive trees and the entire agricultural production of the country.