If you are, you should apprise yourself of a unique method of profiling Extra Virgin Olive Oils which will be launched in Seville, Spain, on September 10th and 11th 2026.
Maven – A trusted expert or connoisseur who is highly knowledgeable about a particular subject. People often turn to a maven for advice, insider information, or reliable guidance within their particular field or interest (AI dictionary.com).
The new method is the Savantes Savourgram© developed by International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Savantes.
International Extra Virgin Savantes is a globally recognised program established in 2001 that evaluates and trains individuals in the sensory assessment of olive oil. The program connects producers, marketers, and consumers worldwide hosting events and tasting programs in major hubs.
The program is famous for its rigorous Savantes Skills Test, which challenges participants to identify different styles of olive oils, detect sensory defects, and rank intensities. Tasters who achieve a required score of 24 out of 30 are awarded the title of Savante and are inducted into the Savantes Register.
Rather than just focussing on technical tasting in a blue glass, Savantes has pioneered descriptive and visual profiling methods like the Savourgram©. This profiling method allows individuals to visually chart the intensity, persistence, and flavour progression of different olive oils. The movement has expanded beyond basic sensory testing to incorporate broader culinary and emotional experiences with olive oil, such as its integration into different ethnic cuisines (Google AI preview description of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Savantes).
Wow…we couldn’t have put it better ourselves! And we prefer the word ‘maven’ to sommelier which sounds a bit too much like wine stuff!
Come and join the movement in Seville, do the skills test, familiarise yourself with the Savourgram©, become a Savante maven, and have fun.
Details at www.savantes.org or email simon@savantes.org
