Tuscan olive oil producer Frantoio Franci has been named Best Olive Oil in Europe according to the Il Magnifico 2023 Prize. The oil in question, Delicate Maurino, comes from olive groves that grow in the hills of Montenero d’Orcia, a town near Monte Amiata in southern Tuscany.
Croatian company Orna d.o.o. surprised the judges with their Mate Viola Tonda olive oil, while the Menvra D’oro (Best Score of All Time 2023)award for best continuous quality went to Puglian producer Donato Conserva. Other awards included Best EQOO 2023, which went to Umbrian firm Viola for Best Producer of the Year and Sardinian Masoni Becciu as Best New EQOO 2023.
“It was an emotional moment to present Giorgio Franci and his Montenero d’Orcia company with the Il Magnifico award for his elegant and stirring Maurino single cultivar olive oil. Aromatic and intense, it leaves the palate buzzing with a lasting and cleansing finish. Nobody should miss this olive oil,” remarked Matia Barciulli, president of the Il Magnifico Prize.”
The Massimo Pasquini Prize for the Olive Oil Personality of the Year went to Eike Schmidt for his professionalism and ability to protect and preserve culture as a driving force. On receiving the award, the director of the Uffizi Galleries commented, “In recent years, the Uffizi Galleries have made strides to promote Italy’s food and wine culture through videos in which the museum’s masterpieces have been pointed out by chefs. That’s not all. In the last few weeks, we produced a video on how oil is depicted in art.”
The Massimo Pasquini Prize for the Olive Oil Personality of the Year went to Eike Schmidt for his professionalism and ability to protect and preserve culture as a driving force. On receiving the award, the director of the Uffizi Galleries commented, “In recent years, the Uffizi Galleries have made strides to promote Italy’s food and wine culture through videos in which the museum’s masterpieces have been pointed out by chefs. That’s not all. In the last few weeks, we produced a video on how oil is depicted in art.”
Olive oil lovers will be able to try the Il Magnifico cocktail based on Frantoio Franci’s award-winning Delicate Maurino oil during Florence Cocktail Week. From April 17 to 23, Simone Covan will be serving the signature drink at Santa Cocktail Club (piazza Santa Maria Novella) and Santa Villa Cora (viale Machiavelli). At the awards dinner, local dignitaries sampled Vetulio Bondi’s exquisite olive oil gelato, also made from Frantoio Franci’s Delicate Maurino.
Organized by the Premio il Magnifico, European Extra Quality Olive Oil Award cultural association, the eleventh annual award ceremony was held on March 17 at the Antinori winery in San Casciano in Val di Pesa.
