The Sicilian producer’s organic Tonda Iblea monovarietal earned top honors in the world’s leading olive oil quality contest.
Olive Oil Times |
Sicily, Italy — Soc. Agr. Vernèra di Spanò & C SNC has been awarded a Gold at the 2026 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition for the Le Case di Lavinia brand.
Le Case di Lavinia is an organic extra virgin olive oil of medium intensity, crafted exclusively from the Tonda Iblea cultivar. Produced in Sicily, the oil is marked by herbaceous aromas, green almond and fresh leaf notes, and a finishing black pepper bite that builds with persistence.
Soc. Agr. Vernèra di Spanò & C SNC works with century-old organic olive groves, where Tonda Iblea trees are harvested entirely by hand. The olives are milled the same day, with cold pressing used to protect aromatic precision and preserve freshness.
After extraction, Soc. Agr. Vernèra di Spanò & C SNC stores the oil in steel containers under nitrogen in a climate-controlled room, a practice aimed at limiting oxidation and safeguarding the oil’s sensory character through the life of the lot.
In recent years, repeat success at the NYIOOC has underscored the consistency that can be achieved when harvest timing and handling are closely managed. In 2020, Mariagrazia Spanó, the company owner, highlighted the variability inherent in the season while pointing to the reliability of the cultivar. “Every year is a new challenge,” said Mariagrazia Spanó, owner at Soc. Agr. Vernèra di Spanò & C SNC. “But, in the end, our Tonda Iblea always rewards us!”
The 2026 Gold adds to an established record at the competition, bringing Soc. Agr. Vernèra di Spanò & C SNC’s NYIOOC history to eight Gold Awards and one Silver. From 2018 through 2024, Soc. Agr. Vernèra di Spanò & C SNC earned a Gold each year, followed by a Silver in 2025 before returning to Gold in 2026.
In the Olive Oil Times World Ranking, Soc. Agr. Vernèra di Spanò & C SNC stands at #19 in Italy, #60 in the Northern Hemisphere and #61 Worldwide.
Soc. Agr. Vernèra di Spanò & C SNC produces Le Case di Lavinia in Sicily, where the producer’s approach pairs manual harvesting and same-day milling with controlled storage designed to protect quality from grove to bottle. More information is available at vernera.it.
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.