Wildly Virgin Wins Three Gold Awards at 2026 NYIOOC

Lisbon, Portugal — Wildly Virgin has been awarded three Gold Awards at the 2026 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, earning top honors for Wildly Virgin Verde, Wildly Virgin Forte and Joaquim's Reserve Cobrançosa.

"It was a challenging year, with fires raging across Portugal, but we've continued to find and collaborate with exceptional small producers who are dedicating themselves to making what we see as some of the very best extra virgin olive oil in the world. These gold awards help show what small-batch Portuguese producers are capable of.," said Nader Akhnoukh, Co-Founder at Wildly Virgin.

The Gold-winning Wildly Virgin Verde, a medium-intensity extra virgin olive oil made from Cobrançosa olives, was distinguished by a balance of fresh herbaceous character and ripe notes, with fig leaf, radish and a peppery finish. Wildly Virgin Forte also secured a Gold in the medium category with Corian olives, while Joaquim's Reserve Cobrançosa added a third Gold for Wildly Virgin with another medium-intensity expression of Cobrançosa.

Wildly Virgin has built its portfolio by searching across Portugal for premium, small-batch, single-origin harvests made by independent growers. Wildly Virgin works with devoted makers and individual estates, aiming to present oils that reflect a specific region and a distinct approach to cultivation and milling, while providing traceability from grove to bottle.

The multiple awards in New York underscore a strategy that emphasizes careful selection and distinct regional identities rather than volume. By focusing on estate-specific lots and working with growers for whom olive oil is a central craft, Wildly Virgin has sought to bring attention to the diversity of Portuguese extra virgin olive oil through different cultivars and styles.

With the three Gold Awards in 2026, Wildly Virgin’s NYIOOC record stands at four Gold Awards overall, after earning one Gold Award in 2025. The recognition places Wildly Virgin among the more successful Portuguese entrants over the last two editions of the competition.

In the Olive Oil Times World Ranking, Wildly Virgin is ranked #13 in Portugal, #85 in the Northern Hemisphere and #88 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.