EXTRA VIRGIN OIL COMPETITION Competition Handbook Extra Virgin 2015 Competition Handbook

Edmund G. Brown Jr., Governor

You’re Invited! California State Fair Board of Directors Thank you for your interest in the 2015 California Chair, David Mallel, Calabasas State Fair Competitive Exhibits Program. The Vice Chair, Patrick O’Brien, Pleasanton California State Fair has hosted competitions Rima Barkett, Stockton for more than 161 years in an effort to recognize Sonney Chong, Sacramento the best of the Golden State. The Competitive Corny Gallagher, Fair Oaks Programs help inspire Californians and showcase Rex Hime, Loomis their achievements. Mark Nelson, Wilton Hallie Ochoa, Guinda From the very beginning in 1854, the State Fair Willie Pelote, Sacramento was the place to show the latest advances in technology, agriculture and talent. That tradition Ex-Officio Members continues today. Senator Richard Pan More than 750,000 visitors are expected to come Assembly Member Kevin McCarty to the State Fair this summer. Many of those Assembly Member Susan Eggman individuals come primarily to see the various exhibits that will be on display. Your work is Chief Executive Officer an integral part of our celebration and we look Rick K. Pickering forward to showcasing your talent at the Fair from July 10 -26. Program Director Carrie Wright Sincerely, Competition Coordinator Michelle E. Johnson

Post Office Box 15649, Sacramento, California 95852 Phone: (916) 263-3174 E-mail: [email protected] CAStateFair.org Page 1 Culinary Programs Coordinator Michelle E. Johnson Phone: (916) 263-3189 E-mail: [email protected] The State Fair New for 2015 The California State Fair was originally formed Welcome to the inaugural California State as the California Agricultural Society in 1854. Fair Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition. This The goal was to provide a public platform for competition is offered in celebration of one competition, showcasing the very best the State of California’s fastest growing agricultural of California had to offer. Many innovations were industries. If you have any feedback for us, first showcased at the annual State Fair. We please feel encouraged to email our entry office continue the tradition today of showcasing the at any time. We look forward to celebrating very best. California Extra Virgin Olive Oil! What’s Inside: New for 2015 2 CA Program Calendar 2 Competition Overview 3 Awards 3 How to Enter 3 Entry Rules/Requirements 3 Entry Divisions and Classes 4 Why Compete? You are California’s Best! Program Calendar Pride yourself in being one of California’s Best Extra Virgin Olive Oils at an annual, high- April 1 Entry Deadline profile press event on the steps of the Capitol, April 8 Lab Test and Oil Delivery Deadline publicizing the Best of Show wine, beer, cheese, April 30 Preliminary Screening and extra virgin olive oil. Establish relationships May 7 Judging Date and brand familiarity at the exclusive, gold-medal tasting event at Cal Expo, where producers mingle with media and buyers. Inspire consumer confidence at the market shelf to select a quality product with official award stickers.

CAStateFair.org Page 2 The California State Fair Extra Virgin using a VISA or MasterCard. 3. Deliver your entries. Send 4 bottles of each Olive Oil Competition entry. Include a chemical analysis report The California State Fair Extra Virgin Olive Oil (a blend % list if blended) with each entry. Competition celebrates the olive-growing and Entries must arrive at Cal Expo before olive oil producting industries in California. delivery deadline. This competition is open to Extra Virgin Olive Oils made from 100% which are grown, Shipping & Street Address: pressed and packaged in California. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition California State Fair Competition Overview 1600 Exposition Blvd Sacramento, CA 95815 Best of California Award Ceremony and Tasting Hand Delivery: Best of Show winners will be formally announced Enter Cal Expo at Exposition Blvd & Challenge at a Capitol-steps media event, followed by an Way, follow the signs to “Administration” (open exclusive gold-medal tasting event at Cal Expo. Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 4:30 pm) Awards Gold Medal - score of 86-100 Entry Rules and Requirements Silver Medal - score of 76 - 85 Bronze Medal - score of 65-75 Judging Method 1. Blind Judging: Judges will taste oils out of a Best of Class - 48 awards available, one in each standard, blue, olive-oil tasting glass, labeled class of each division, selected from only gold only with the division, class and a randomly medal winners. assigned identification code. Best of Division - 10 awards given, one in each 2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil entries will be screened division. for quality by a certified taste panel prior to Best of Show - 2 awards given, one in the Extra judging. Non-qualifying oils will not be judged. Virgin Olive Oil Show and one in the Flavored 3. Gold, Silver & Bronze Awards are given based Olive Oil Show. on individual merit, using a points system. 4. Best of Class and Best of Division Awards are Best of Show winners will receive an engraved given according to the highest score. Golden Bear Trophy. 5. Best of Show Awards are given by a comparison tasting among Best of Division Each entry will be awarded a State Fair Rosette entries. representing the highest award won. 6. The decision of the Judges is final. No changes will be made after judging is Bottle stickers and duplicate ribbons will be complete. available for purchase, if desired. 7. Judging Sheets and comments are confidential and are not provided. 8. Judges reserve the right to create divisions if How to Enter warranted by the number of entries. For your convenience, the California State 9. Judges reserve the right to transfer entries to Fair offers a completely online, paperless another division or class, if appropriate. and postage-free method of entry and communications. Competition Rules 1. Entry Fee: $80 per entry. 1. Select your division and class. 2. Entry Size: Submit for each entry four bottles 2. Go to www.CAStateFair.org to enter online of 250 ml to 500 ml (send 5 bottles if less than before the Entry Deadline. Pay entry fees 250 ml) One bottle is opened for preliminary quality screening, one is opened for Best of CAStateFair.org Page 3 Show judging, one is used for display, and Extra Virgin Oilve Oil is olive oil that has a one is used for tasting events during the free acidity, expressed as free , of California State Fair. not more than 0.5 grams per 100 grams, a 3. A chemical analysis report must arrive with median of defects equal to 0, and the other each entry. Copies are accepted. characteristics which correspond to the limits 4. Only oils made from 100% olives which are fixed for this grade in these standards. Extra grown, processed and packaged in California Virgin Olive Oil is fit for consumption without are eligible for this competition. further processing. 5. Only oils which are commercially available 14. This project was supported by the Specialty for public purchase are eligible for this Crop Block Grant Program at the U.S. competition. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through 6. Entries may only be submitted by the original Grant 14-SCBGP-CA-0006. Its contents are producer of the oil. Oils purchased from other solely the responsibility of the authors and do producers and rebranded are not accepted. not necessarily represent the official views of 7. Entries are limited to those produced in the the USDA current harvest season. 8. Entries become property of the California Entry Divisions and Classes State Fair. Divisions 9. Single Variety entries must contain 90% of the 1100 - EVOO Single Variety Delicate named variety. 1105 - EVOO Single Variety Medium 10. Blends must arrive with the percentage of 1110 - EVOO Single Variety Robust each variety listed. 1115 - EVOO Blend Delicate 11. All entries must abide by CDFA Grade and 1120 - EVOO Blend Medium Labeling Standards (2014) 1125 - EVOO Blend Robust 12. Divisions Defined: Delicate - Very little to no bitterness and/or Classes pungency, buttery, nutty; predominately ripe Mono Cultivar entries must contain 90% of the fruit flavors. named cultivar. Medium - Some bitterness and/or pungency; Select your blend according to the most pronounced ripe fruit and/or green fruit prominent cultivar. flavors. Robust - Distinct bitterness and/or pungency, 01 - Mission predominately green fruit flavors. 02 - Manzanillo 13. Definitions (Notice of Issuance of Grade and 03 - Sevillano Labeling Standards for Olive Oil, Refined 04 - Olive Oil, and Olive Pomace Oil CDFA 2014) 05 - 06 - Arbozana Olive Oil is the oil obtained solely from the 07 - fruit of the olive tree (Olea europaea L.), 08 - Any other Cultivar solely by mechanical or other physical means under conditions, including thermal conditions, that do not lead to alterations in the oil, and Flavored Olive Oil Show Divisions which has not undergone any treatment Divisions other than washing, crushing, malaxing, 1135 - Citrus Flavored Oil decantation, pressing, centrifugation, and 1140 - Herbal Flavored Oil filtration and to the exclusion of oils obtained 1145 - Chili-based Flavored Oil using solvents or reesterification processes 1150 - Any Other Flavored Oil and of any mixture with oils of other kinds.

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