The Casaliva monovarietal from Italy’s Alto Garda district earned a Gold Award at the world’s leading olive oil quality contest.
Olive Oil Times |
Riva del Garda, Italy — Agraria Riva Del Garda has been awarded a Gold at the 2026 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition for the Uliva brand.
Uliva is an extra virgin olive oil of medium intensity produced from Casaliva olives. Marked by fresh herbal sensations, Uliva is distinguished by green almond and olive leaf aromas, lifted by arugula and rounded out by ripe notes. The profile reflects careful attention to fruit quality and timing, key considerations in a growing area where harvest decisions are made across many small plots with varying exposures and conditions.
Agraria Riva Del Garda is a historical and leading company in the wine and olive oil sector of the Alto Garda district, promoting excellent products rooted in a traditional culture of quality and a strong focus on local initiatives. Organized as a cooperative, Agraria Riva del Garda brings together hundreds of members and works with a broad base of contributing growers, supporting them with technical assistance and coordinating harvest logistics over a relatively short picking window.
In prior reporting, Agraria Riva Del Garda business development manager Massimiliano Consolo described a system built around closely monitoring groves and prioritizing harvests according to orchard conditions. Agraria Riva Del Garda technicians routinely gather fruit samples from different plots, assessing variables such as variety, exposure and soil, and use analytical measurements to help determine when to harvest.
Agraria Riva Del Garda has also emphasized quality controls at multiple points in the production chain, including checks at the mill and evaluation of oils after extraction. That approach aligns with the cooperative’s incentive structure, which has historically rewarded farmers based on quality outcomes, reinforcing shared standards across a geographically diverse production base.
The 2026 NYIOOC Gold adds to a strong competition record for Agraria Riva Del Garda, which has now earned 12 awards overall, including 11 Gold Awards and one Silver Award. Agraria Riva Del Garda has been recognized repeatedly in recent years, with Gold Awards in 2020 through 2026, alongside earlier honors in 2014, 2016 and 2017.
The new Gold Award also strengthens Agraria Riva Del Garda’s standing in the Olive Oil Times World Ranking, where Agraria Riva Del Garda is ranked #15 in Italy, #48 in the Northern Hemisphere and #49 Worldwide.
The NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, widely regarded as the world’s leading olive oil quality contest, is a trusted reference for consumers and industry professionals.