Homologation of Tasting Judges, Pisco, Olive Oil
According to the International Olive Council "IOC," the three categories of olive oil are Extra Virgin, Virgin, and Lampante. Something that catches my attention is that for an oil to be considered Extra Virgin, it must not have any defects. Just one defect is enough to be considered Virgin, and if more defects are found, it's considered Lampante, which must be taken to the refinery for improvement.
If we talk about Pisco, we don't have such strict rules for evaluation. I remember in a Pisco contest, we argued with one of the tasters who told us, "this Pisco is very young & still needs to rest, but it's not considered defective." To which we responded, "it may be so, but we are invited to evaluate in a national contest, and if the producer includes a young sample, we cannot award a medal under those conditions." Nowadays, this situation doesn't occur because only Piscos produced the previous year are entered into the contest.
Another important issue is that all olive oil producers in the world are required to undergo an organoleptic exam in addition to the physical-chemical examination, which is endorsed by the "IOC," the highest organization in olive oil tasting worldwide. The "IOC" is the only authorized body to homologate tasting panels. It's not the producer who authorizes the label of extra virgin olive oil, but the "IOC."
We need to apply the homologation of tasting panels to Pisco and require an organoleptic exam to be conducted by homologated judges in addition to the physical-chemical examination to obtain the authorization to use the Pisco Appelation of Origin.
I believe that all Piscos intended for export should undergo an organoleptic exam and carry a seal indicating that they have been subjected to a homologated tasting panel.
Now, who homologates these Pisco tasting panels? We don't have an "IOC," and the CRDO-Pisco is not yet functional. At present, the Conapisco (National Pisco Commission), is assuming the role of selecting the judges. Should it be Indecopi, Peru’s National Consumer Protection Authority, or Inacal? (The National Quality Institute). We need to resolve this to have qualified judging panels that evaluate our national drink organoleptically to authorize the Pisco A.O. and exports.
Regarding olive oils, these homologated panels are responsible for evaluating the oils sold in both national and imported markets after passing the physical-chemical examination. If the label indicates Extra Virgin and the tasting panel disqualifies it, it cannot enter the market with that label. In Peru, we still don't have homologated olive oil panels.
As consumers, it's essential to have the necessary guarantee when purchasing a product with A.O. such as Pisco. Moreover, the producer who holds that guarantee has the opportunity to offer an exceptional, unique product.
It's not enough to say that Pisco is ours; we must defend our Appelation of Origin. One way to do this is to ensure that the product we have bottled has been produced strictly following the regulations of the Pisco Appelation of Origin.
Til next time!
By Livio Pastorino Wagner
Sommelier, Specialist, and Pisco Taster
Registration: CRDO-PISCO 2020 RCO-034-2011
@elmagozurdo
Pisco & music
Cocktail Magazine No. 24, june 11, 2019.
Cocktail magazine (spanish) in issuu
June 2019
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