Challenging Season, Winning Results for California Producers
After a season of unpredictable conditions and mounting labor costs, producers in California had reason to celebrate, winning 81 awards at the 2025 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition .
“We had some really, really hot days last summer. It got to 109ºF when we left. That was exceptionally high, I thought, for this part of California,”
While climatic and economic challenges are ever-present in a producer’s mission to craft world-class extra virgin olive oil , some entrants faced more personal trials and tribulations. The steady presence of California oils at NYIOOC is shifting how the world views our makers. – Elise Magistro, owner, Luretík Estate For Nancy Frishberg of Rancho Milagro , this year’s gathering was particularly emotional.
The past year also brought wet weather during crop, forcing growers to adjust their schedules. Additionally, extreme summer heat, reaching 109°F (43°C), posed challenges for the olive trees. “We had some really, really hot days last summer.
That was exceptionally high, I thought, for this part of California,” Frishberg told reporters. Her background is in marketing and linguistics, a stark contrast to the agricultural expertise her late partner brought to Rancho Milagro.
Nancy Frishberg and her late partner (Photo: Rancho Milagro) “I was an academic. I have a Ph.D. in linguistics, specializing in sign languages,” she explained. “Then I spent years in tech, working in user experience and human-computer interaction.
None of that had anything to do with olive oil.” Despite the steep learning curve, she embraced the challenge, hiring a consultant to refine their olive oil blends. “I stated to her, ‘Here’s what I know about what’s in these barrels. Put together a blend for me that represents our ranch and that uses as much of those three other varieties as possible.’ And she did that.
And it’s been winning awards,” Frishberg explained. Among them was the NYIOOC Gold Award for its medium-intensity Frantoio monovarietal.
Additionally, the ranch’s Field Blend of Frantoio, Hojiblanca, Coratina, and Picual olives received a Silver Award. The shift from opportunistic blending to intentional blending proved to be a game-changer. “I needed to have somebody to help me on the blend.
This is the key difference between the opportunistic blend and the intentional blend,” Fishber explained. Magistro as well highlighted how California’s success at NYIOOC is reshaping global perceptions of the region’s olive oil. “The steady presence of California oils at NYIOOC is shifting how the world views our producers,” she stated. “Luretík is part of that evolution here on the Central Coast.
Richard and Myrna Meisler started San Miguel Olive Farm in their 60s. (Photo: San Miguel Olive Farm) The couple, aged 86 and 87, started their farm in 2006 with only ten trees. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, more than 2,000 fires have burned close to 30,000 hectares as of 2025.
While olive producers have experienced limited exposure , smoke has not been shown to affect olive oil quality; that said, they continue to monitor environmental conditions closely . At Rancho Milagro, the ranch manager only mulches pruning leftovers while brief rains continue—once the heat sets in, fire danger makes such practices too risky. “We haven’t had a fire in this part of California since 2021… But starting soon, it will be the dry season,” Frishberg said. “And by the time August comes around and September, that gets to be iffy because there’s lots of fire danger.”
