The Tuscan producer from Vitiano, south of Arezzo, earned the latest Gold Award for a medium-intensity extra virgin olive oil.
Olive Oil Times |
Vitiano, Italy — Giancarlo Giannini has been awarded a Gold at the 2026 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition for the Vipiano brand.
Vipiano is an extra virgin olive oil of medium intensity. Crafted in the Tuscan hamlet of Vitiano, south of Arezzo, Vipiano is distinguished by almond richness alongside arugula-like bitterness and a ripe tomato character that gives the oil a fresh, savory edge.
Giancarlo Giannini works among olive groves that still maintain a traditional planting layout, with many very old trees and a newer area planted after 1985. In an earlier season described as among the most difficult in recent decades, Giannini pointed to late frost damage in early April that destroyed the first buds and delayed flowering, followed by a heat wave that burned small fruits, leaving only a newly irrigated area able to save part of the harvest.
“I am pleased, especially since receiving several awards in a row allowed us to communicate to our customers our constant dedication to quality over the years,” said Giannini. “My groves still maintain a traditional planting layout. They are mostly composed of very old olive trees, while the newest part was planted after 1985.”
The Giannini family has an ancient history of olive cultivation, producing extra virgin olive oil for many generations in the groves around Vitiano. Today, Vipiano reflects that continuity, with fruit selected and milled locally as part of a long-running focus on quality that has repeatedly been recognized at the World Competition.
The 2026 Gold is the latest milestone in Giannini’s NYIOOC record, bringing the producer’s overall results to nine Gold Awards and one Silver Award, with consecutive Gold Awards in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
The NYIOOC Gold places Vipiano among the world’s elite extra virgin olive oils. In the Olive Oil Times World Ranking, Giancarlo Giannini is ranked #18 in Italy, #54 in the Northern Hemisphere and #57 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.