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<pre>Dear all,

I plan to start up offering introductory level olive oil appreciation
classes in the Hunter Valley in the next few weeks. My background is the
wine industry and some practical olive growing, but very little on the oil
tasting side, so I plan to keep the tasting quite basic with the intention
of getting "pure novices" to the stage where they can identify good and bad
traits in oil, and can rank the degree of intensity. This will involve 5
oils, last for one hour, with notes and refreshments.

I anticipate a fair number of the tasters taking the course being based in
Metropolitan Sydney, and there being quite a bit of interest in more
advanced tastings, so do any of the list's subscribers know of any existing
olive oil tasting groups that I can refer enquiries to?

I haven't worked out all the details quite yet, but once I do I'll post them
at www.hunterweb.com.au/oliveoil

Regards,

Mike Wilson
Hunter Valley.
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<pre>Hi Mike

What a great initiative - it will be great education for consumers!

We run the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Savantes Programme which offers
participants organoleptic training, as well as exposes them to a large range
of extra virgin olive oils.

When participants join the programme, they complete an initial three day
qualifier course. Presenters for the course have included Judy Ridgway,
Linda Costa and Justo del Amo.

Participants receive samples of olive oils in the mail, which they then
assess and enter in to the online area of the website (where the results are
discussed). Participants also come together at Refresher Courses twice a
year.

We will be running qualifier courses in Melbourne in June, Auckland and Cape
Town in July, and Sydney in September/October. More information about the
programme is available from www.savantes.com/savantes, or contact me
off-list by e-mailing savantes@... or by calling +61 3 9387 9919.

Good luck with the tasting courses,

best wishes,
Michael.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Wilson" <mike.wilson@...>
To: "Olives Groups" <OliveOil@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2003 3:59 PM
Subject: [OliveOil] Sydney Oil Tasting Groups
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<pre>> Hi Mike
>
> What a great initiative - it will be great education for consumers!
>
> We run the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Savantes Programme which offers
> participants organoleptic training, as well as exposes them to a large
range
> of extra virgin olive oils.
>
> When participants join the programme, they complete an initial three day
> qualifier course. Presenters for the course have included Judy Ridgway,
> Linda Costa and Justo del Amo.
>
> Participants receive samples of olive oils in the mail, which they then
> assess and enter in to the online area of the website (where the results
are
> discussed). Participants also come together at Refresher Courses twice a
> year.
>
> We will be running qualifier courses in Melbourne in June, Auckland and
Cape
> Town in July, and Sydney in September/October. More information about the
> programme is available from www.savantes.com/savantes, or contact me
> off-list by e-mailing savantes@... or by calling +61 3 9387 9919.
>
> Good luck with the tasting courses,
>
> best wishes,
> Michael.
>

Thank you for your encouraging words.
I'm still somewhat nervous about this as my background is more wine tasting
and olive growing, so although oil tasting is related, it is still quite a
bit of a step. I plan to keep it simple and pass the harder stuff onto
people like yourselves! I should be ready to go just after Christmas, just
in time for the annual influx of visitors to the vineyards. Any excuse not
to be out in the heat!

I will pass on your details to any enquiries that I get.

Regards,

Mike Wilson
Hunter Valley.
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