Savantes Olive Oil Tasting Course Coming to North America

NEPTUNE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Extra Virgin Olive Oil Savantes program, which has been held in multiple locations worldwide for more than 12 years, is coming to North America for the first time this fall. The course provides information about the various grades of olive oil, and covers the skills needed to fully appreciate the limitless variety of extra virgin olive oil flavors from around the globe. Program content aligns with the North American Olive Oil Association’s (NAOOA) ongoing educational efforts, and the NAOOA has awarded five scholarships for food industry and food media professionals to attend.

“The best part about this program is that the organizers are not promoting any single brand or region. It is truly an independent course for those who want to better appreciate olive oil.”

“Savantes is the only course we know of in the U.S. that is independent and focused on the positive aspects of tasting extra virgin olive oil,” said Eryn Balch, executive vice president of the NAOOA. “The best part about this program is that the organizers are not promoting any single brand or region. It is truly an independent course for those who want to better appreciate olive oil.”

Participants will have a rare opportunity to experience more than 70 extra virgin olive oils from the best of the best, including many global award-winning oils. In addition to honing their tasting skills, participants explore olive oil industry topics tailored to their backgrounds – ranging from growing, selling and buying to health benefits and culinary usage.

The program will be held in Manhattan from October 1 through October 3, 2012. The debut session sold out so quickly that organizers added a second session the following week. Interested participants can learn more about the program and register at www.savantes.com.

Established in 1989, the North American Olive Oil Association (NAOOA) is a trade association of marketers, packagers and importers of olive oil in the United States, Canada and their respective suppliers abroad. For more than 20 years, the association has participated as a signatory to the International Olive Council’s (IOC) Agreement for Quality Control, collecting samples from the marketplace for analysis based on the IOC standards. All NAOOA members agree to annual testing of their products by IOC-accredited laboratories. In addition to its quality programs, the association strives to foster a better understanding of olive oil and its taste, versatility and health benefits. For more information about olive oil and the NAOOA, visit www.aboutoliveoil.org.