The Tenth Anniversary Year of Tasting the World's Leading Olive Oils
The programme is to be held in 2010 in:
- Seville, Spain, 15-17 March
Savantes informs those with a business or personal interest in olive oil on current taste and market trends around the world. This is achieved by providing:
- The leading extra virgin olive oils from around the world for tasting.
- Tutoring and refreshment of the sensory assessment of olive oils.
- Current local and international market data and price points.
- Realistic commercial evaluation of participant’s oils using the above benchmarks.
- Ideas on the culinary uses of olive oils.
- Practice in the blending of new season oils to a differentiated, marketable and profitable product.
- Opportunities for trading in olive oils required to enhance a blend or reach critical mass.
- A marketing network of accomplished tasters, chefs, distributors and food media.
- Personal development and peer recognition.
Leading Presenters:
 Judy Ridgway is the author of ‘The Best Olive Oil Buys Around the World’ and travels the world tasting and evaluating extra virgin olive oils. She is an author, broadcaster and journalist specialising in all aspects of taste and flavour. She is an international judge and expert on olive oil and an acknowledged authority on wine, cheese, vinegar, mustard, condiments and charcuterie. She has written more than 55 books on olive oil, food and wine and is a regular contributor to a variety of trade and consumer publications. She also appears on radio and television. She is a co-founder of Savantes. Visit Judy’s website at www.oliveoil.org.uk
 Simon Field, organiser of Savantes, is a producer of organic olives and olive oil, table olive processor and olive oil trader. He is the author of the Olive Handbook, The Extra Virgin Olive Oil Taster’s Companion, The Table Olive Handbook, The Olive Oil Maker’s Handbook, and The Olive and Olive Oil Marketer’s Handbook. He travels extensively organising tasting and cooking programmes, and researching the production, sale and culinary uses of extra virgin olive oil.
Venue:
Seville
Hotel Becquer, located in central Seville, the heart of Spanish olive country, steeped in history and capital of Andalucia, makes a perfect location for expert olive oil tasting. Famed for its tapas and a centre for olive oil and table olive processing, in Seville participants will taste the food that has made Spanish olive oil a worldwide commodity.
Hotel Becquer, 4 Reyes Catolicos, Seville. Tel (+34) 95 422 8900
www.hotelbecquer.com
Programme:
Download the programme here.
| Day 1 |
|
| 9.30am-10.00am |
Welcome to Savantes – Simon Field |
| 10.00am-11.00am |
Olive Oil Markets around the World – Simon Field
An update on olive oil market trends around the world
|
| 11.00am-11.30am |
Refreshments |
| 11.30am-12.30pm |
Taste and Flavour – Simon Field
How we taste, describe flavours and develop a taste vocabulary
|
| 12.30pm-1.30pm |
Lunch |
| 1.30pm-2.30pm |
International Quality Standards and Defects in Olive Oil – Simon Field
An overview of international quality specifications, grades of olive oil and detecting defects
|
| 2.30pm-3.30pm |
How to Taste Olive Oil and Introduction to Styles – Judy Ridgway
Introducing the main styles of extra virgin olive oil
|
| 3.30pm-4.00pm |
Refreshments |
| 4.00pm-5.00pm |
Tasting Olive Oil for Specific Flavour Characteristics – Judy Ridgway
Exploring the range of flavours found in extra virgin olive oils
|
| Day 2 |
|
| 9.00am-10.30am |
Variation in Varietals – Judy Ridgway
Tasting extra virgin olive oils from the same variety grown in different regions round the world
|
| 10.30am-11.00am |
Refreshments
|
| 11.00am-11.30pm |
Economics and Blending – Simon Field
How blending is used to achieve particular flavours and price points
|
| 11.30pm-1.00pm |
Blending for a Market – Group Work led by Judy Ridgway
Working in groups, participants blend an extra virgin olive oil to meet their own market brief covering style, flavour and price point. The blended oils are tasted by the class determine whether they meet the briefs
|
| 1:00pm-2.00pm |
Lunch |
| 2.00pm-3.30pm |
Traditional and New Culinary Uses of Olive Oil – TBA
Demonstrating the many uses of extra virgin olive oils in cooking
|
| 3.30pm-4.00pm |
Refreshments |
| 4.00pm-5.00pm |
Analysing The Varietals by Taste - Group Work led by Simon Field
Working in groups, participants try to determine by taste the proportion of varietals in a blended extra virgin olive oil and then reproduce the blend.
|
| 8:30pm |
Savantes Dinner |
| Day 3 |
including Refresher day for Professional Tasters |
| 9.00am-10.00am |
Tasting Participant’s Blends from Day 2 – Judy Ridgway
The class judges how close the groups have come to reproducing the blend from the last session on Day 2 |
| 10.00am-11.00am |
Testing Your Skills as a Taster – Simon Field
Introducing a series of exercises which can be done to practice and improve tasting skills
|
| 11.00am-11.30am |
Refreshments |
| 11.30am-1.00pm |
Tasting Olive Oils from Around the World – Judy Ridgway
A tour of the main olive oil producing regions round the world, tasting classic extra virgin olive oils from each region
|
| 1.00pm-2.00pm |
Lunch |
| 2.00pm-3.00pm |
Tasting International Award Winners – Judy Ridgway
Presenting for tasting extra virgin olive oils judged to be the best from around the world
|
| 3.30pm-3.30pm |
Judging for Quality, Competition and the Market – Judy Ridgway
Using the different judging methods to score extra virgin olive oils for competitions
|
| 3.30pm - 4.00 pm |
Refreshments
|
| 4.00pm - 5.00 pm |
Tasting and Scoring Savante Participant’s Own Oils – Led by Judy Ridgway
Olive oils brought by participants are evaluated by the class
Presentation of Certificates for Savantes completing the Course – Simon Field
|
Note: Due to the involvement of international experts it is possible that circumstances beyond the control of the organisers will necessitate the cancellation of courses. In the event of the course being cancelled a full refund will be made. Organisers reserve the right to change the course programme and presenters. Participants will be informed of changes.
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