Want to improve your olive oil tasting skills? And see California? Here’s your chance to do both. Benchmarking Taster Abilities is a one-day course being run by expert tasters Paul Vossen (University of California) and our own Richard Gawel. Designed for those seeking to extend their olive oil tasting skills and to benchmark their proficiency in assessing olive oil quality, the program will introduce attendees to the key aroma compounds responsible for both positive and defective characteristics of olive oil: classic examples of the major defects, as well as some less commonly encountered, then positive fruit flavor characteristics, bitterness and pungency. Tasters will learn how to assess extra virgin olive oil quality within the different style categories by tasting award winning olive oils from various global competitions. After an extensive tasting session, participants will be able to quantifiably bench-mark their own abilities for assessing extra virgin olive. The course will be held on July 27 from 8:30am-4pm at the SRJC Shone Farm, 7450 Steve Olson Lane, Forestville, California. Attendees will receive a University of California certificate of attendance and taste test results. The cost $200 – register here.
