After extensive judging of quality California-produced olive oils, The Big Fresno Fair is thrilled to reveal the 11th Annual San Joaquin Valley Olive Oil Competition (SJVOOC) winners. This competition, which is open to all olive oil producers in California with products made from their 2025 olive harvest, received a total of 70 entries from 20 different olive oil producers from throughout the State.

All winners will be on display in the Agriculture Building with educational information on the art of making olive oil and its health benefits. Gold Medal, Best of Show and Best of the Valley winners will have the opportunity to have a booth in the Agriculture Building during the 2026 Big Fresno Fair. Participants in the 2026 SJVOOC were evaluated and scored on the following criteria:

• Gold Medal: Awarded to an olive oil that demonstrates its type and/or varietal character, balance, structure and complexities to the highest standards. Gold Medals will be awarded to those oils receiving scores between 86 – 100 points.
• Silver Medal: Awarded to an olive oil reflecting the correct distribution of balance and character of its type or variety; an oil deemed to be well crafted and of excellent quality. Silver Medals will be awarded to those oils receiving scores between 76 – 85.99 points.
• Best of Show: Awarded to an olive oil recognized to possess special characteristics of the highest quality overall; given out in both EVOO and Flavored Olive Oil divisions. All Gold Medal winners are eligible to compete for Best of Show in their respective division.
• Best of the Valley: Awarded to the oil that scored the highest overall with the ranch or office located in the San Joaquin Valley across both EVOO and Flavored Olive Oil divisions. (Kern, Tulare, Kings, Fresno, Madera, Merced, Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties eligible).

Details about the 2027 SJVOOC and its entry application will be posted in February 2027.

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OUR 2026 OLIVE OIL JUDGES

Anna Leachman
Anna Leachman, MS, is the owner of Applied Sensory and the leader of the Applied Sensory Panel, an AOCS-accredited panel of professional olive oil tasters. After earning her Master’s degree in Sensory Science from the University of California, Davis, Anna has applied her expertise towards the advancement of the organoleptic quality of a variety of products – most recently the grading of olive oil. She has judged several olive oil competitions and co-teaches a specialized short course on olive oil sensory evaluation alongside Dr. Selina Wang at UC Davis.

Janell Pekkain

Glenn Weddell
After a culinary degree, Glenn has served as Executive Chef for 30 years at many of Sacramento California’s finest dining establishments and even the personal chef to the Maloofs, former Sacramento Kings owners. Glenn’s services have been requested by many visiting celebrities from the Rolling Stones, Neil Diamond, and even President Bill Clinton. In 2007 Glenn took the Corporate Chef position with Mani Imports, the second largest Greek olive oil and olive importer in the USA. His work in developing and locating new food products has provided extensive travel through Europe. The UC Davis Olive center focused his palate through sensory training on extra virgin olive oil followed by apprenticeship training with the California Olive Oil Council. He now sits on the Applied Sensory panel, the only IOC accredited taste panel in the USA, as well as a fresh produce sensory panel. In addition to the Central Coast Olive Oil Contest, Glenn is a judge for the LA International olive oil competition, the California State Fair olive oil & wine competition and the Yolo County Fair. Just for the love of cooking, in his spare time Glenn and his wife Maria run “Delicioso Epicurean Adventures”, curating exclusive custom one-of-a-kind dining experiences.