The Istrian producer’s medium-intensity blend earned another top honor in New York, extending a long-running record at the world’s largest olive oil quality contest.
Olive Oil Times |
Vodnjan, Croatia — Uljara Vodnjan has been awarded a Gold at the 2026 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition for the Punta Cissana brand.
Punta Cissana is an extra virgin olive oil of medium intensity, distinguished by fresh notes of radish and arugula, a suggestion of green almond and a clean, peppery finish. Produced in Istria, the oil reflects Uljara Vodnjan’s emphasis on careful timing from harvest to milling and the pursuit of balance in multi-varietal blends.
Uljara Vodnjan operates in Croatia’s leading olive-growing region, where producers have increasingly combined improved agronomic practices with investments in modern processing. At Uljara Vodnjan, olive oil production is guided by Edi Druzetić, an olive oil production technician and agronomist who has worked in olive growing for more than 40 years and has emphasized the importance of rapid processing and technological upgrades at the mill.
In 2023, Druzetić described how the mill at Uljara Vodnjan is believed to be the oldest in Istria, and possibly Croatia, while also being equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Built more than a century ago and renovated and modernized, the facility is designed to shorten the processing window and maintain quality, with capacity to process up to three tons per hour. Alongside olive oil produced from Uljara Vodnjan’s own groves, the mill also processes fruit from other growers in Istria, as well as some from the nearby Kvarner Islands, including Krk.
Punta Cissana is made exclusively from four domestic varieties — Buža, Rosinjola, Plominka and Puntoža — sourced from trees that Druzetić has said are 200 years old or more. The Gold Award in New York adds to Uljara Vodnjan’s sustained performance at the competition, where the producer has now earned 12 Gold Awards and one Silver Award overall.
Beyond olive oil, Uljara Vodnjan produces wines and olive oils in Istria from different groves, cultivating and processing indigenous grape and olive varieties using sustainable methods from the peninsula’s southernmost, warmest area. More details about the estate and its portfolio are available at By Istria.
The 2026 NYIOOC Gold further strengthens Uljara Vodnjan’s standing in the Olive Oil Times World Ranking, where Uljara Vodnjan is ranked #4 in Croatia, #44 in the Northern Hemisphere and #45 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.