February 01, 1999
A formal Panel of Tasters has been selected after a rigorous and extensive period of training and testing. The Panel of Tasters will ascertain defects as well as desirable attributes of extra virgin olive oils. These tasters have undertaken a training and certification program under the direction of Panel Heads Paul Vossen and Roberto Zecca. The program follows the guidelines of the International Olive Oil Council in Madrid. The initial training at UC Davis was conducted by Juan Ramon Izquierdo, a Master Olive Oil Taster employed by Spain’s Agricultural Ministry. This very gifted team will meet each month with Paul and Roberto for the dual purpose of selecting oils for the California Olive Oil Council’s Seal Program and for continual training.
Paul Vossen is on the staff of the University of California, Davis and is the Farm Advisor for Sonoma and Marin Counties and is a Tasting Panel Leader for the IOOC in Madrid. He is also a California Olive Oil Council Advisor. Paul may be reached at 707-527-2621 or e-mail: pmvosen@ucdavis.edu.
Roberto Zecca is a California Olive Oil Council Supporting Member and is on the Council’s Board of Directors. He is an olive oil producer in both Tuscany and California and is a Tasting Panel Leader for the IOOC in Madrid. Roberto is also the proprietor of Frantoio Ristorante and Olive Mill in Mill Valley. Roberto may be reached at 415-289-5770 or e-mail: rzecca@aol.com
For information on the California Olive Oil Council Seal Certification Program, please call 888-718-9830 or e-mail: