We are proud to announce that Gold of Irida Koroneiki Extra Virgin Olive Oil has been awarded a Bronze Medal at the ATHENA International Olive Oil Competition 2026, one of the world’s most respected olive oil competitions.
Judged by an international panel of certified experts, this recognition highlights the exceptional quality, careful craftsmanship, and distinctive character of our single-varietal Koroneiki olive oil, produced from our family grove in Laconia, in the heart of the Peloponnese.
About the ATHENA International Olive Oil Competition
Founded in 2016 in Athens, the ATHENA International Olive Oil Competition (ATHENA IOOC) is the only major international olive oil competition organised in Greece. Over the past decade it has earned a strong reputation for transparency, credibility and rigorous judging standards. Some international tasters rank it among the top three olive oil competitions in the world.
Each year the competition is hosted in a different historic olive-growing region of Greece, celebrating the country’s diverse terroirs and indigenous varieties. The 2026 edition — the 11th — returned to Athens, where the competition first began, marking the start of its second decade.
The competition is organised by Vinetum Ltd, an Athens-based company specialising in food and beverage events. It is chaired by Constantine Stergides and directed by Maria Katsouli, Greece’s first certified olive oil sommelier. Entries are evaluated by a large international panel of experienced, certified olive oil tasters, the majority of whom come from outside Greece.
A Bronze Medal at ATHENA confirms that an oil meets exacting international sensory standards and places it among the strongest entries submitted from dozens of countries.
What This Award Means for Gold of Irida
Receiving this recognition for our Koroneiki Extra Virgin Olive Oil is especially meaningful. Koroneiki is the signature variety of the Peloponnese and the most widely planted olive in Greece. Our trees grow in the unique microclimate of Laconia, between the Taygetus and Parnon mountains, where sea breezes, intense sunlight and traditional farming methods produce oil of remarkable purity and character.
Every bottle of Gold of Irida is the result of careful hand-harvesting, rapid cold extraction, and knowledge passed down through generations of our family. This Bronze Medal from ATHENA celebrates that work and the enduring Greek olive-growing heritage we are proud to continue.
We thank the international jury of the ATHENA IOOC for their careful evaluation and invite you to taste the oil that earned this distinction.
Taste the award-winning Gold of Irida Koroneiki.
For Trade & Professional Inquiries
Gold of Irida supplies award-winning Koroneiki Extra Virgin Olive Oil to fine food distributors, specialty retailers, luxury hotels, restaurants and yacht provisioners.
