The Umbrian estate earned Gold for Vubia, Tremilaolive Monocultivar Borgiona and Harvest by Night in the world’s leading olive oil quality contest.
Olive Oil Times |
Umbria, Italy — Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio has been awarded three Gold Awards at the 2026 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition for Vubia, Tremilaolive Monocultivar Borgiona and Harvest by Night.
Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio earned a Gold for Vubia, a medium-intensity extra virgin olive oil made as a blend. Distinguished by aromas that recall olive leaf and eucalyptus, Vubia unfolds with artichoke and chicory nuances and a green-almond impression that carries through the finish.
Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio also won a Gold Award for Tremilaolive Monocultivar Borgiona, a medium-intensity extra virgin olive oil produced from the Borgiona cultivar, and a Gold Award for Harvest by Night, a medium-intensity extra virgin olive oil produced from Frantoio.
Set among the green hills of Umbria, Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio pairs an ancient site with a modern approach to milling and quality control. Lorenzo Fasola Bologna, the owner of Castello Monte Vibiano, has emphasized the role of the natural environment in shaping both well-being and production results, and Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio has framed its work around the quality of raw materials, the quality of the environment and customer care.
Over the years, Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio has pursued research-driven innovation alongside its olive growing, including projects focused on sustainability and the properties of extra virgin olive oil and its by-products. The estate has also drawn attention for measures aimed at reducing environmental impact, from low-impact energy technologies to changes in farm operations designed to support a healthier growing environment.
Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio has linked some of its choices to the realities of climate variability, including experimenting with night harvesting as part of a broader effort to adapt operations to changing conditions. The Harvest by Night project, introduced to underscore the urgency of climate change, has also served as a platform for engaging visitors and stakeholders with the harvest process and the estate’s sustainability message.
The three 2026 Gold Awards add to Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio’s long-standing record at the competition. Across its full NYIOOC history, Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio has earned 25 Gold Awards and 3 Silver Awards, including three Gold Awards in 2025, two Gold Awards in 2024, three Gold Awards in 2023, one Gold Award in 2022, three Gold Awards in 2021, four Gold Awards in 2020, three Gold Awards and one Silver Award in 2019, one Silver Award in 2018, two Gold Awards in 2017 and one Gold Award and one Silver Award in 2016.
In the Olive Oil Times World Ranking, Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio is ranked #4 in Italy, #15 in the Northern Hemisphere and #16 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.