The masterclass, initially scheduled for May 2020, was held in Palmi on July 30, 2020, at the Bourakhé Restaurant.
Due to the COVID-19 and to comply with the rules on social distancing, only 25 people attended the event, almost all producers registered to 2020 EVO IOOC.
The training event, led by Dr Antonio G. Lauro, discussed the themes of the olive oil industry, without neglecting any aspect of the complex olive oil chain and with some marketing and production enhancement pills.
The preponderant, and awaited part of the masterclass was the double series of guided tastings of the best EVOOs in competition, which interspersed the formative part of the event.
Among all the EVOOs in competition, it was decided to propose the Best in Class of the competition. Great evidence was given - deservedly - to the 8 EVOO absolute winners of 2020 EVO IOOC (Almazaras de la Subbetica. PARQUEOLIVA Gold Series - Spain; Café Fazenda Sertãozinho. Azeite Orfeu - Blend da Safra - Brazil; Olivarera La Purísima. EL EMPIEDRO - Spain; Az. Agr. Uliveto "I GRANDI OLI SCISCI" PICHOLINE BIO - Italy; Az. Agr. Cosmo Di Russo. Caieta EVO - Italy; Az. Agr. Sisters Garzo. Dolciterre Rosi' - Italy; LAGAR H AGROINDUSTRIA. Lagar H Koroneiki - Brazil; Prospered. Prosperato Premium Blend - Brazil), which have been exclusively tasted and commented by Dr Lauro. In the second part, to complete the series of "stellar" tastings, 4 EVOO winners of one of the 12 special prizes awarded by the EVO IOOC judges were also proposed.
Given the presence of the winning companies, during the masterclass, some of the competition trophies were presented by President Lauro. The producer Consuelo Garzo, representing Az. Agr. Sorelle Garzo, was presented with the EVO IOOC Best International Coupage 2020 - North Hemisphere trophy for the EVOO Dolciterre Rosi'. While Mr. and Mrs. Maselli were officially presented with the EVO IOOC Best of Country - Best of Italy award given with merit to the Az. Agr. Maselli di Maselli Maria Antonietta with the EVOO Coratina.
Out of the program, the "unofficial" presentation of the 2020/2021 edition of the precious EVO IOOC Guide Buyers Edition, whose graphic aspect and some novelties, among all the new bilingual edition (Italian and English), have been revealed.
The fifth edition of EVO IOOC officially closed, President Lauro remembers the next steps of the competition. The closest steep will be the official presentation of the guide 2020/2021, which will anticipate the opening of entries for EVO IOOC 2021 scheduled for early next autumn.