10th November 2004
ORGANIC EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL WINS NATIONAL TROPHY
Australia’s dynamic olive industry has notched up
another first. The Best Oil in Show Carol L’Heureux
Trophy at the 8th National Extra Virgin Olive Show
has been awarded to an organic and biodynamic
certified EVOO oil, Lakelands Olives 2004 Frantoio.
The accolade vindicates proprietor Knut Kammann’s
endeavours to establish a select site organic olive
grove at Clandulla in the Central Ranges of New
South Wales, chosen specifically because the
‘terroir’ is similar to Tuscany. The altitude
(700m), cool climate and short growing season are
ideally suited to olive cultivation.
‘The Australian olive industry is relatively young
compared to Italy, but already it is apparent that
Australian olive oils can compete with Europe’s
best’, commented Knut Kammann, a German businessman
who immigrated to Australia over 20 years ago.
Knut’s love of the Australian bush led him to the
220-hectare Clandulla property, distinguished by the
focal lake which inspired the Lakelands brand. It
was originally constructed as a reservoir to service
the Great Western Cement Company but never served
its intended industrial purpose. Now it provides
water to a 2500-tree grove planted predominantly to
Frantoio, Correggiola and Leccino, Tuscan varieties
that thrive on the cool elevated slopes near
Rylstone, south of Mudgee.
Since the first commercial harvest in 1999 Lakelands
Extra Virgin olive oils have established a strong
reputation, winning consecutive Best of Class
Trophies at the National Olive Oil Show for the past
three years.
Knut Kammann believes part of that success derives
from his strictly controlled organic and biodynamic
approach to sustainable horticulture, combined with
some German ingenuity and Australian bush logic.
We have developed a unique hand-harvesting technique
that gently shakes the olives onto a raised
fan-shape catching frame that surrounds the covered
tree, preventing fruit damage and contamination. The
olives are cold-pressed immediately after picking in
a state-of-the-art organically certified Pieralisi
decanter press.’
The trophy-winning Lakelands Olives 2004 Frantoio is
a fresh, robust, fruity and piquant oil with a
characteristic light peppery grip, known by Italians
as ‘pizzica’. Limited stocks are available from
selected specialist and organic food stores
nationally and direct from Lakelands Olives.
