Rio Vista Olives has taken center stage at the Australian International Olive Awards last night, claiming the coveted titles of Best South Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Show — along with Champion Italian Varietal for their complex and delicious Signore, Champion Greek Varietal for their bold Koroneiki and Reserve Champion Greek Varietal for their vibrant Elisi Grove Kalamata. In a year bursting with competition from across the country and internationally, Rio Vista proved that passion, precision, and a whole of love can put South Australian produce at the very top of the national – and international table.
Beating out some of the biggest names in the business — including internationally acclaimed groves from Spain, Italy, Greece and Tunisia — Rio Vista Olives proved that size isn’t everything. This family-owned grove, with three generations of passion behind it, stood tall against producers twice and three times its size to claim the top spot.
The judges described the multi-award-winning Signore as: “Complex and Persistent with aromas of tropical fruits, green banana, freshly cut grass, herb and spices.”
“To have our Single Variety Extra Virgin Olive Oils like the Signore, Koroneiki and Kalamata have such amazing success is very exciting.” says Rio Vista Olives manager Leon Bettio, “All three are very unique expressions of olive variety and terroir. For the Signore to get top accolades this year is really a culmination of all the work that goes into it from the soil to the fruit.”
“Drought has knocked a lot of producers around this year.” continued Bettio. “Our team has worked tirelessly to maintain our soil quality, tree health and then with expert processing to create an oil that is a beautiful expression of South Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil.”
Rio Vista Olives is family with deep South Australian roots and an unshakable commitment to crafting world-class olive oil. The team blends traditional knowledge and methods with cutting-edge innovation and systems — from soil to oil. All olives have their oils are processed within hours of harvest, ensuring every drop captures the vibrant flavour and integrity of the fruit. It’s this obsessive attention to detail that’s earning Rio Vista Olives recognition not just from the judges’ panel, but from some of Australia’s top chefs and food lovers alike.
The Australian International Olive Awards isn’t just Australia’s top olive oil competition — it’s one of the most respected in the world. With expert judging panels spread across five countries and entries pouring in from every corner of the globe, this is where the best of the best come to be crowned.
The pool of awards recently won by Rio Vista Olives at the Australian International Olive Awards include: Best in Show (Commercial Volume), Best in South Australia, Champion Italian Varietal, Champion Greek Varietal, Reserve Champion Greek Varietal, Reserve Champion Agrumato Oil, 1 Platinum Award, 6 Gold Medals and 1 Silver Medal
Royal Adelaide Olive Awards include: Best South Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Show, Best Medium EVOO in show, Best Single Variety EVOO in show, 3 Gold Medals, 1 Silver Medal and 2 Bronze Medals.