Savantes Toledo 2014

International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Savantes
Toledo, Spain 
24th - 26th September 2014

Taste the World’s Leading Extra Virgin Olive Oils and
Discuss Markets, Health Benefits, Culinary Uses and Quality Standards   

Excellent Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Fresh Food, Valuable Knowledge and Good Company makes Extra Virgin Olive Oil Savantes More than Tasting

• Taste the wide range of styles and flavour of extra virgin olive oils from many regions around the world
• Taste current international award winners from the northern and southern hemispheres
• Practice your blending skill Read more...

Savantes Melbourne 2014

Tasting the World’s Leading Olive Oils

Melbourne, Australia - 16th - 18th July, 2014

In 14 years Extra Virgin Olive Oil Savantes has held over 25 olive oil tasting programmes in many countries – Spain, Italy, United States of America, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

During this time the three-day programme has evolved into one of the world’s leading independent forums for the commercially important attributes of extra virgin olive oil.  Participants in the programme are able to:

• Taste the wide range of styles and flavour of extra virgin olive oils from many regions around the world
• Taste international award winners from the northern and southern hemispheres
• Evaluate your own new season extra virgin olive oil by comparison
• Discuss market trends in producing and importing countries
• Explore the culinary and health selling points of extra virgin olive oil Read more...

Oils Tasted at Savantes New York 2014

In February 2014 Extra Virgin Olive Oil Savantes presented a wide range of oils from around the world (listed below) for participants to taste, expanding their tasting skills, knowledge and experience.

We would like to sincerely thank the distributors, producers and retailers who contributed oils for the programme, helping to ensure that the Savantes programme continues to deliver a wide range of oils for participants to taste.

Participant's Comments

The Extra Virgin Olive Oil Savantes tasting programme was established in Melbourne in 2001, and since then has been run locations including New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, United Kingdom, Spain and Italy.  

Below are some of the comments made by Savantes Participants:

‘Brilliant seminar!  Enjoyed it thoroughly. Thanks Simon and gang.’ New York, USA 2014

‘It was a fantastic few days. We tasted international oils we would never normally have the chance to experience, tasted and blended our own oils, and, importantly we met other olive oil enthusiasts and learned more about their thoughts and opinions’.
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

 New York (August 2013)

Thank you again for hosting such a wonderful program!
New York, USA

QvExtra Award for Savantes

The International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Savantes programme has been recognised by leaders of the Spanish industry at a ceremony in Cordoba.

During the International Congress 'Building Bridges', instigated by QvExtra, the founder and presenter of Savantes, Simon Field was presented with a diploma in recognition of his work in the promotion of excellent extra virgin olive oil worldwide through the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Savantes programme . He was the only person outside the Spanish industry to receive such recognition at the Congress.

New Associate Savantes: Gerald Jones and Sue Witeof

Two participants in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Savantes tasting programme held in New York last month achieved Associate Savantes status.  Associate Savantes Status recognises personal tasting ability and knowledge (participants undergo a series of tests during the programme and must score 60% to become an Associate).

Gerald Jones

Gerald has worked for Sovena USA, a part of Sovena Group, for the past three years in the quality department under the direction of Dr. Gabriel Estevez.  For the past year has been the Food Defense Manager, in which Gerald oversees the in-house laboratory, oil blending, and assists in the procurement of olive oils.

Sue Witeof

Sue Witeof is currently the Research & Development Lead for Foodservice Oils at Cargill Dressings, Sauces & Oils, a business unit within Cargill Incorporated. Sue’s food industry experience includes positions in quality assurance, product development and technical service.  Sue holds degrees in Biology and Art from Capital University and a Master’s Degree in Food Science from Kansas State University. She currently resides in Tipp City, Ohio but will be relocating  to Minneapolis, Minnesota, Cargill’s World Headquarters in 2014.