Garda Bresciano Olive Oil Wins Awards at Polpenazze Fair
Not only wine is showcased and entered into the competition at the Polpenazze Fair. Among the main participants is also the extra virgin olive oil Dop “Garda Bresciano,” which saw 19 samples presented by local producers for selection. The dedicated commission accepted 13 samples into the competition, 11 of which were awarded the designation of “excellent.”
The entity overseeing the various phases of the contest is Aipol, the Inter-provincial Association of Lombard Olive Oil Producers, currently presided over by Gardesano Giovanni Mazzoldi, president of the “Garda Bresciano” consortium. Another Bresciano, Giuliano Terzi, an olive grower and oil production expert, serves as vice president of the regional body.
Certification and Quality of the Oil
The Dop certification, which arrives after lengthy bureaucratic and legislative procedures, also reflects certain local rivalries, especially within the Garda region. In the council chamber of Polpenazze, visitors will be able to explore the qualities and characteristics of the various oil samples presented.
An important and interesting tasting session, especially because it’s rare to encounter so many extra virgin oils simultaneously in our area. Tastings, sometimes guided as is often proposed across the lake, allow the consumer or connoisseur to understand the product better.
Advice on Consumption and Evaluation of Olive Oil
People often buy a product based on the label or the producer’s name, trusting it implicitly. However, with the same money, one could purchase a similar product selected after reviewing several samples, choosing the one that best suits their palate. This comparative tasting approach has long been successful with wine.
It could be a task for the same consortia to organize open tastings with an experienced, impartial guide who can explain the qualities, characteristics, aromas, and nuances needed to understand both oil and wine. Tasting courses, increasingly popular, are offered in various parts of the province; why not create tasting courses for Dop oils from all shores of Lake Garda and the whole Lombardy region?