The Dalmatian producer earned a Gold for Sv. Ivan Oblica and a Silver for Sv. Ivan Blend, continuing a strong record at the World Olive Oil Competition.
Olive Oil Times |
Vodice, Croatia — Vodice has been awarded a Silver at the 2026 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition for the Sv. Ivan Blend, and a Gold for Sv. Ivan Oblica.
The Sv. Ivan Blend is an extra virgin olive oil of medium intensity produced from Frantoio. Distinguished by herbaceous aromas alongside notes of radish, olive leaf and bitter almond, Sv. Ivan Blend reflects the sensory profile that has helped Croatian oils from Dalmatia stand out in New York. Sv. Ivan Oblica, also of medium intensity and produced from Oblica, earned Vodice a second award in the 2026 results, underscoring the producer’s strength across both monovarietal and blended styles.
Vodice, based in the small coastal town of Vodice in Dalmatia, is part of a region whose international reputation has been shaped by closer collaboration among growers, increased technical focus and a growing willingness to benchmark quality through competition. In recent years, producers from Dalmatia have gathered at tastings and educational events in Split, where researchers and sensory professionals have emphasized the role of terroir and the region’s olive varieties, including Oblica, in creating oils with persistence and complexity.
That momentum has been reinforced by efforts to organize and encourage producers to participate at the World Competition. In Dalmatia, Tomislav Duvnjak, the entrepreneur behind Vodice DOO, helped coordinate local producers to sample oils and raise funds for entries, a push that contributed to record outcomes for Croatia and helped attract additional support from local organizations and regional institutions. The broader context has been striking: Croatia produces a comparatively small volume of olive oil but has repeatedly translated that into outsized recognition at NYIOOC, including high award totals and a strong success rate relative to entries.
Vodice described its work as rooted in two decades of producing and tasting extra virgin olive oil in Dalmatia, where tradition remains influential even as producers increasingly adopt more structured quality practices, from orchard care through timely harvesting and careful processing. Vodice markets Sv. Ivan oils through its website.
The 2026 awards add to a consistent track record for Vodice at the World Competition. Across its full NYIOOC history, Vodice has earned 14 awards, including eight Gold and six Silver distinctions, with wins in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020.
The 2026 results place Vodice among the leading Croatian producers in the Olive Oil Times World Ranking, ranked #5 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.