22 Apr

The Best Olive Oil Comes from OPG Željko Bubičić of Dračevac 

KRASICA HOSTS THE 27TH EDITION OF THE "OLEUM OLIVARUM" EVENT
22.04.2024 13:30 | Author: Zvonimir Guzić

The 27th edition of the international “Oleum Olivarum” event, dedicated to bringing together olive growers from Istria, Dalmatia, and neighboring regions of Slovenia, was held at the “Stara škola” restaurant in Krasica.

In the competition between 46 olive growers, the best olive oil was produced by OPG Željko Bubičić from Dračevac, made primarily from the Karbonaca variety with a smaller share of Rošinjola. Among the top five, second and fourth place went to the family of Vedran and Elena Lupić from Bal, whose Buža variety oil was better placed than the Rošinjola variety. The bronze medal was won by OPG Neven Mijanović from Buščina, and the top five was completed by local olive grower from Krasica Oriano Benvegnu.

The gathering of olive growers was opened with introductory speeches by the mayor of Buje Fabrizio Vižintin and the director of the Buje Tourist Board Valter Bassanese. Among the official guests were also Ezio Pinzan, head of the Department of Agriculture of the Istria County, president of the Krasica Local Council Regina Gardoš, and Damir Buntić, secretary of the Association of Dalmatian Olive Growers.

“Welcome to this building of the former school, which today is a representative catering facility “Stara škola”. I must say that this is not our first time here, because we already held the 6th “Oleum Olivarum” in the then school in 2003. I would like to thank all the hardworking olive growers who have applied for this meeting again this year, and a special thanks goes to the Institute of Public Health in the Šibenik-Knin County, where the oils are chemically analyzed, and to Damir Buntić and the members of the Šibenik olive growers’ association “Olea” who organoleptically evaluate the quality of the samples using taste, smell and visual inspection,” said Bassanese, director of the Buje Tourist Board.

Mayor Vižintin emphasized the importance of olive growing for this region and added that the long-standing tradition has grown into the development of a global brand in the production of extra virgin olive oil. Over time, Krasica itself has earned the epithet “Homeland of Olives”.

In addition to the five award-winning olive growers, the other oils were also classified into categories according to their analyzed quality, so that 25 samples deserved gold medals, ten silver medals, and five bronze medals. Two oils were characterized as extra virgin, and four oils were in the category of virgin oils.

After the solemn award ceremony, the hostess of “Stara škola”, chef Priska Thuring of Swiss-Canadian origin, invited all those present to a tasting of delicacies prepared with the five first-place olive oils. The menu offered a varied selection, from fish specialties as a starter to game goulash as a main course, and the dessert was particularly impressive, where cake and coconut ice cream were drizzled with olive oil.

Numerous olive growers and visitors were satisfied with this year’s event, which, organized by the City of Buje, the Tourist Board and the Buje Public Open University and the Krasica Local Council, reached a higher level, and many promised to return next year for the 28th edition of “Oleum Olivarum”.

Key Points:

  • The 27th edition of the “Oleum Olivarum” event was held in Krasica, Croatia.
  • OPG Željko Bubičić from Dračevac won the best olive oil award.
  • The event brought together olive growers from Istria, Dalmatia, and Slovenia.
  • In addition to the competition, there was also a tasting of olive oil delicacies.
  • The next edition of the event will be held next year.