Carmel Forms Handcrafted Olive Oils of Israel

Israel's Carmel Winery has announced the formation of 'Handcrafted Olive Oils of Israel,' a new consortium of olive oil producers which will operate alongside 'Handcrafted Wines of Israel,' a group of Israel's finest wineries successfully launched in February 2004.

"Our first objective is to add value to Handcrafted Wines," said David Ziv, CEO of Carmel Winery. "Wine and olive oil are natural partners.

"We also want to strengthen image of Israel as a Mediterranean country producing world-class wines and olive oils. Finally, we want to create a brand awareness of quality Israeli olive oil in gourmet markets worldwide."

Carmel took great care in selecting the partners for this project to reflect the different growing regions and the variety and quality of Israel's finest olive oils. They are as follows:

Gazit - Haim Gazit produces one of the finest boutique olive oils in Israel from his olive grove in the western Galilee. In the annual competition organized by the Olive Board, he was the winner of the small producer category in 2004. In previous years he was twice in 2nd and once in 3rd place.

Halutza - Halutza Olive Oil is an estate created in the last 10 years at Kibbutz Revivim in the central Negev highlands, using the most advanced agricultural and ecological methods. The kibbutz irrigates using brackish water pumped from a depth of 800 meters. In the last three years, Halutza has twice been awarded the prize as Israel's finest extra virgin olive oil and won the prize 'Best of Show' in the Kosher World Food Exhibition held recently in Los Angeles. A triumph of Israeli agriculture, technology and the pioneering spirit !

Kad Bnei Darom - Kad Bnei Darom is a family operation on a moshav (cooperative farm where individuals own their own property) near the southern port city of Ashdod. It is the only Israeli mill to produce olive oil using the Sinolea method, pioneered in Italy. Kad Bnei Darom has the most advanced visitors center in Israel, where a full range of its own gourmet products is sold.

Kibbutz Tzora - Kibbutz Tzora produces olive oil from the Judean Hills and foothills. The oil is sold alongside Tzora wines at the winery visitors center. At Tel Tzora nearby, there is evidence of an ancient olive press and winemaking from 2,500 years ago.

Makura - In the western foothills of Mount Carmel lies Makura Ranch, which is famous both for its bio-organic produce and Amphorae Vineyard - the winery. The olive oil has received international recognition: at 'Biol' in Italy, the international competition for organic olive oils, Makura came 4th - out of 300 olive oils taking part.

Uri Sagie - The Sagie family has been in Israel for seven generations and founded Kfar Bialik, north of Haifa. There, Uri Sagie, a retired major-general in the Israel Defence Forces, produces his 'handcrafted' olive oil. In the last three years he has once won the prize for having Israel's finest olive oil from a small producer, and twice been runner-up.

Carmel is one of the biggest producers of extra virgin olive oil in Israel with approximately 25% of the market. Its olive oil is collected from olive groves all over Israel and blended by specialists at Zichron Ya'acov Winery. For three years in a row Carmel Extra Virgin Olive Oil received a citation from The Olive Board.

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