Move over, grapes. In Wine Country, olives are having a moment.
The California State Fair recently announced the results of its 2026 California Commercial Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition, and two Sonoma County producers emerged with top honors.
McEvoy Ranch, a family-owned operation in Petaluma, and Gold Ridge Organic Farms, based in Sebastopol, collected a slate of awards, including the competition’s most coveted distinctions: Best of Show and Best of California.
Innovation yields top honors
At McEvoy Ranch, recognition has long been part of the story. Over its 36 years, the olive oil and wine producer has been featured in national publications such as The New York Times, Sunset magazine, Forbes and Wine Spectator, and spotlighted by Oprah Winfrey’s annual “Favorite Things” list for its Whipped Body Butter in 2024 and ODE Hand & Body Lotion Discovery Set in 2025.
The ranch earned Best of Show at the California State Fair for its Organic Ginger Turmeric Olive Oil ($14.96), winning in the flavored olive oil category. The olive oil, which also won Best of Class and Best of California in its division, is made by co-milling early-harvest olives with organic ginger root, fresh turmeric and a touch of black pepper, a process that yields a layered, aromatic finish.
In a statement, McEvoy Ranch president Samantha Dorsey described the recognition as “a profound validation of our team’s unwavering dedication to creating innovative, vibrant flavor profiles in olive oil.”
McEvoy Ranch took home a total of 19 awards for its olive oils this year. Other Best of Class honors went to its Jalapeño, Rosemary and Blood Orange olive oils, while additional gold medals recognized the Lemon, Herbes de Provence and the 2025 harvest of its Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
A blend with staying power
In Sebastopol, Gold Ridge Organic Farms secured Best of California and Best of Class for its Picholine Blend ($34) in the competition’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil Blend category.
The farm, also featured in national outlets such as Forbes and The Today Show, has accumulated accolades for its Picholine blend in recent years, including Double Gold at the 2025 California State Fair and both Double Gold and Best of Show at the 2024 Sonoma County Harvest Fair.
This year, Gold Ridge collected 11 awards in total at the state fair, including Gold for its Tuscan, Minerva and Arbequina blends in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Blend division as well as Gold for its Meyer Lemon olive oil in the Flavored division.
A region expanding its identity
Another west county producer, Husary Olive Oil, received a gold medal for its Tuscan blend, continuing a track record of recognition at both the state and county level.
Together, the results underscore a broader evolution in Northern California agriculture: while wine remains the region’s signature, olive oil producers are increasingly commanding attention — one carefully pressed bottle at a time.
Find the full list of winners from the California State Fair’s Commercial Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition here.