Retiring judges leave lasting knowledge legacy

EVOO and table olive judging is hard. It’s a skill/art/science and something you can’t learn overnight, or by yourself. As AIOA Chief Steward Trudie Michels says, “All good olive judges have spent years under the mentorship of seriously great senior judges.”

Four of Australia’s seriously great senior judges have retired in recent years so we’ve asked them to share their thoughts and experiences with Olivegrower readers.

But first, on behalf of the industry, we need to say Thank you!

“They’ve put a lot into the industry and trained a lot of judges, who’ve gained a lot of skills and knowledge from them” Michels said.

“They’ve given vast amounts of time and energy, and are a big part of the reason we have such a high calibre of judges on our panels across the country. We’re really grateful for that.

“So we want to say thank you for their efforts and support for the competitions – and for all the producers who enter, achieve and learn from the opportunity.”

Stephen Mitchell

Stephen started judging olive oil at regional shows in 2003 and has since judged both oil and table olives across the country. A Hunter Olive Association committee member since 2001, and member of the Australian Olive Oil Sensory Panel from 2007-2009, he runs assessment courses and workshops for local producers. In 2005 he established the Hunter Olive Show and has been chief steward ever since.

Stephen is also an olive grower and producer of Lisborne Grove EVOO.

SM: In 2003 at the Cowra Olive Show. I judged there three or four times before it was discontinued.

SM: In 2019. I went to Adelaide for the national competition and that was my last large show. I’m still involved in running the Hunter Show but with the table olive side of it, not with oil judging.

SM: Back then there were many regional shows, run by associations or show societies. These depended on the efforts of keen individuals. They were generally small but with a very friendly atmosphere, and were

a great environment for learning the art of judging within a small group of dedicated judges.

The regional shows have since declined due to the loss of the individuals who ran them, reflected also in the decline in regional olive associations. At the same time the bigger city-based olive shows, and the AOA national show, have grown and become more important.

They’re very well organised, really professional activities, and I’ve enjoyed those too. You tend to get a more diverse range of judges - food writers, scientists, etc, as well as industry people – at those, so you meet some interesting people.

SM: I think so. I regret the decline in the regional associations and competitions but you need volunteer time and energy to run them. There’s a lot less of that around now. Luckily the Hunter Association and show has kept going because the dedication and commitment is there.

The greater range of judges is good. Associating with people is what I enjoyed and got out of judging. It’s what motivates me: doing things with people to achieve a particular shared outcome.

The food at the big shows is by necessity quite commercial, though. For the Hunter Show the Hall Committee ladies come up with home-made slices, cakes, scones, and the judges really enjoy that.

SM: Meeting like-minded people from all over the country and developing enduring friendships. I’ve also learned a lot about olive oil and table olives along the way. I have used this learning to help educate others within the industry and the general public, and it has helped my marketing and sales within my own small olive business.

SM: One of the main ones is maintaining my skills. Particular to judging olive oil is the detection and identification of faults: that’s something you’ve really got to work at, and regularly. My time with the Wagga panel helped me there but that skill has to be maintained, otherwise you lose it.

Also, finding the time for the required travel, and the associated costs, have proven a bit limiting in terms of going to as many shows as I would have liked to. That influenced my decision to not judge at interstate shows any more, although once I’m there I enjoy it.

SM: They’re associated with the people I’ve judged with and met along the way. Just working with them, getting together with people I’ve met over a shared experience. Sharing the passion for olive oil with the people you work with in the judging room is really special – both the people judging and the people running the show.

SM: Competitions are important avenues for producers to have their products independently assessed, both individually and relative to the rest of the industry.

Success in these competitions certainly assists winners with their marketing and sales activities.

The status of these competitions also helps to give the Australian olive industry

a high level of prominence within the global olive industry.

Bob Barrett, SA

A University of Adelaide lecturer, Bob spent more than 25 years teaching oenology, horticulture and wine marketing. He was Chief Judge at the inaugural National Table Olive Competition in 2010, and on the Australian panel which gained IOC organoleptic accreditation.

Bob has been a table olive judge at national and state competitions, and was a panel leader at the 2021 Australian International Olive Awards.

BB: 1990? It was a transition from wine to olives as part of my job as horticulture lecturer at the Roseworthy College-CAE. Formal oil judge training at the Waite department was led by Dr Michael Burr.

My table olive judging began circa 1978 as part of horticulture sensory evaluation at Roseworthy. Jim Smythe provided the polish.

BB: In 2021.

BB: The early experience was heavily influenced by wine judging and chemistry. The Roseworthy-Waite wine chemistry was applied to various food chemistry/quality evaluations being done.

My last oil judging was some years ago. By then we had worked through the European attitude and merged it with wine sensory methods to obtain a solid, reproducible system. At the end of my time I was happy that the result had been done thoroughly and with integrity.

I decided to focus on table olives as they had become a more significant component of the industry. I was privileged to work with Jim Smythe, whose tutelage allowed me to better provide olive lectures to my students.

BB: The industry has moved forward as we needed to so we could compete with the international markets. Growers need to applaud the industry stalwarts who have given their time to make this happen.

BB: Being impartial - I didn’t/don’t have any interest in olives. It was part of my job responsibility but I did not know or care whose fruit it was.

BB: One, even so, being impartial. Second, learning to taste oil and judging oils for a day without going home sick. It is hard work.

BB: Oil competitions have come of age and provide marketing credibility and quality tools controlled by Australian standards. This is the most important benefit. Some small operatives have shone, so size is not critical as long there is access to labs to maintain quality control.

Table olives have benefited massively from competitions. The feedback to producers has been very useful to improve methods of pickling, growing/harvesting and packaging. Competitions have done their primary function: provided a basis for consumer choice which they can rely on.

BB: The initial submissions were sometimes disgusting, both oils and olives. The introduction of E. coli testing at least partially protected judges from poisoning. It did not protect from ‘crazy’ additions from time to time.

The ‘back room boys’ like Mrs Paul Eblen in SA, cutting apples while hubby prepared tasting samples, and many unknown people in Bendigo for their help running the first National Table Olive competition - they were wonderful.

Peter Olson

Peter started his olive journey as an analyst developing chemical testing for olive oils, achieving a commercial service in 1997. He worked with the NSW DPI testing laboratory for 28 years.

In 2003 he trained as an IOC Taster, then completed the IOC International Course for Panel Supervisors in Italy. In 2005 he became the first leader of the Wagga Wagga Olive Oil Sensory Panel.

Peter has been head judge/chair of judges and panel leader at competitions across Australia and New Zealand. An experienced trainer of organoleptic assessment, tutoring in olive oil judging has been one of his life’s pleasures.

PO: Around 2003/4 at the Golden Olive awards.

PO: In 2016. The Sydney Royal Olive Oil judging was my last.

PO: I can proudly say that, through our training via the IOC and recognition of Wagga Wagga as an official Tasting Panel, we improved the standard of judging.

I think the standard lifted across all shows over the years.

PO: Interesting question. Standards can lead to a loss of difference between shows, but I think the improvements outweighed them.

PO: Meeting people, savouring some amazing natural products and travelling.

PO: Getting some show people to change their practices and venues. Maintaining consistency in judging.

PO: The AOA National Show always had the presentation dinner, which I always enjoyed. Presenting the Golden Olive Awards at The Wicked Virgin in Rutherglen. The NZ Awards in Wellington and then going off on a tour of the North Island with the President and Himeyo from Japan. The Canberra and Hunter Shows; and my favourite, the Sydney Royal.

From a senior judge’s point of view, it always tickled me to think that I was teaching people how to taste. Really, it is just helping to realise or awaken their senses, which are there in all of us.

PO: It is important to aim for a goal in all activities. Olives and olive oil production is relatively straightforward, but achieving the best out of your product takes that extra attention to detail and extra care in all aspects. Competitions give producers that goal; something to aspire to, and to be recognised by your peers.

It was always special to see a new producer doing well in competitions. Their enthusiasm for the industry certainly was infectious and moving.

Margi Kirkby

Margi has been hands-on in the industry for over 25 years as a founder of Gwydir Grove Olives. First producing EVOO in 1995, her oils have regularly taken champion awards at shows across Australia.

Margi has travelled to Italy, Spain and Turkey many times to learn and immerse herself in the ‘olive culture’ of the Mediterranean, including IOOC-run organoleptic tasting and production courses.

A member of the Australian Organoleptic Tasting Panel from 1998-2001, she has conducted workshops and training seminars across Australia and internationally.

Margi has been a judge or head judge at myriad olive oil competitions across Australia and New Zealand.

MK: My first IOC organoleptic training session was in April 1996, followed by a Panel Leaders Course in Turkey. This led to my first AOA judging in 1996, which continued until 2019.

Since then I have judged in each state of Australia at olive oil shows for the Royal Agricultural Societies, for local oil shows and fine food events, and in New Zealand several times.

MK: My last judging events were the NSW Fine Foods, Sydney, and the Australian International Olive Awards in Adelaide, in 2019.

MK: When I first judged at the RAS Sydney, it was held in February and the oil was at least nine months old. It was decided to

move the show to late winter or spring, the optimum time for olive oil freshness. Likewise in Brisbane, judging was in July and not many producers were ready to show their oils.

There was strict protocol set up for judging but, being the first time olive oil had been judged at the Sydney show, there was a lot to learn. During the following year the head of Fine Food had many discussions with me about the elements of judging: was colour important, what part did viscosity play? Judging was along the lines of a wine show to begin with.

Later, when the AOA shows started, more information was gained from overseas as to what to include in the judging criteria. For the first few years the shows were evolving, and the AOA did a marvelous job in keeping abreast of the world trends.

Now there are methods of judging set out by international bodies and it is much more uniform. The pool of judges is greater, as more industry people, chefs, journalists, scientists and others have become proficient in the knowledge of olive oil. Also, the volume of entries has grown along with production, so the time taken to judge and the logistics have changed.

From the very beginning, every show has put the interest of the growers foremost, adhered to truth in labelling, total anonymity and complete security.

MK: Yes. As above, the judging process has been evolving. The introduction of standardized coloured glass bottles, or portion cups, presented to judges has made the process completely anonymous.

Several shows conduct judges’ refresher courses prior to commencing and this is a very good idea.

MK: Tasting the most beautiful oils from around the world! Knowing what goes into producing and processing extra virgin olive oil, it is such a treat and privilege to taste the end results.

Over the 20-plus years of judging there have only been several oils that I would not want to have in my home. That makes me sad. I wish the producers would learn to taste their own oils - all that effort gone to waste.

Over that time, the number of faulty oils has become less, as production and storage methods have improved and knowledge gained.

It is also enjoyable to be part of an expert group of people who appreciate good oils and good food and wines. And to have an exchange of ideas and debate as to what makes a gold medal oil.

MK: Distance for me. It takes two plane or very long car trips to access the venues for judging. Each event takes a number of days and a true commitment to the industry.

Keeping ones’ ‘tastebuds’ in tune is very important. A judge needs to taste oil at least a couple of times a week, from one’s own production, from a friend or from a retail outlet. Now I am no longer in the industry, I do not have the ability to access or taste oils on a regular basis, so feel I would not be doing justice to the growers to continue judging.

MK: I do not have a poker face, so when a very faulty oil is sniffed the look on my face tells it all. It is impossible to keep an impartial face when faced with tasting a ‘sweaty saddle’, ‘baby vomit’ or ‘nail polish remover’ oil!

The delight of tasting an oil that is clearly a gold medal winner, the ecstasy of tasting an agrumato oil that is good enough to drink, and the thrill to know (at presentation) that a certain grower has won.

The comradery of associating with other judges and the experiences shared when away judging.

MK: As a producer, I have looked at judging as a benchmark. Aspiring to gain a gold medal is in the background of each blend and batch of oil. To be awarded such an accolade from the industry is very satisfying and fulfilling. Producing is hard work and to be recognised by the judging body is very gratifying.

The comments from the judging team are very important, as these help with future production. A medal is always a talking point at markets and retail outlets, and gives the consumer confidence when purchasing. Publicity from the shows helps with education of the consumer.