The world’s best olive oil? Paso Robles grower wins international competition

Central Coast foodies don’t have to travel far to find what may be the world’s best olive oil.

For the second year in a row, Paso Robles olive oil producer, Marcum Olive Oil, was named “Best of Show” at the ATHENA International Olive Oil competition in Greece, according to a news release.

Marcum’s Coratina extra virgin olive oil passed three days of intense scrutiny and blind taste-testing from a jury of 30 internationally recognized judges before being named best in show.

“To think that our oil went through that whole process to win the competition twice, I am flabbergasted,” Marcum co-founder Grant Marcum said.

Paso Robles olive oil win ‘couldn’t be denied’

Grant and Lonnie Marcum founded Marcum Olive Oil in 2008.

Since then, they have picked up more than 40 awards for their oil, including best of California, best of class and best of show at international and state competitions, according to Marcum’s website.

“This is our first big international competition and I had no type of expectation,” Grant Marcum told the Tribune following the win.

With 640 oils entered from 23 different countries, a judge told the Marcums that they brought the “new world olive oil.”

Marcum Olive Oil is the first North American olive oil to win the show, and the first to win for two consecutive years.

“Some thought your 2024 ‘Best of Show’ wasn’t possible,” ATHENA president Constantine Stergides said in the judgment. “But the second win couldn’t be denied. About 40 Double Gold oils were re-tasted — twice — and yours came out first with a strong consensus, even ahead of two super olive oils from Spain and Italy.”

Central Coast olive oils getting more recognition

Central Coast olive oils have been gaining international recognition for producing oils comparable to the best of Europe.

Similar to growing grapes, the Central Coast’s high temperatures during the day, cool temperatures at night and all around low humidity curates the ideal environment for growing olives. It helps control the olive fruit fly which has been a major pest for the olive oil community, Lonnie Marcum said.

What sets Marcum apart, as Grant Marcum explained, is their precise cultivation process, only storing olives in stainless steel barrels and making sure to press the olives soon after they are harvested to retain the taste.

Growers in the Paso Robles region commonly grow arbequina olives, which creates a buttery olive oil, Grant Marcum said.

Coratina olives — the kind that won the competition — make a robust olive oil that has more or a peppery finish, something that is preferred in Europe, Lonnie Marcum added.

“There were three other growers from the Central Coast that also got double golds and I feel that it’s elevating the recognition of the specialness of the microclimate that we live in,” Lonnie Marcum said.

For more information

Marcum’s award-winning olive oil is available for sale at 1004 Vine St., Paso Robles, CA.

For more information, visit its website at https://marcumoliveoil.com/.