Rosmaninho Cobrançosa wins Premium Gold award in Paris — and Valpaços is back on top of the world.
- Azeite a Norte Blog
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Paris doesn't give up easily. And when it does, the world pays attention.
Valpaços olive oil has just won over one of the most demanding juries in world gastronomy—and it did so with the Cobrançosa variety that grew in the cold, highlands of northeastern Trás-os-Montes.
Premium Gold Medal in Paris: Rosmaninho Cobrançosa shines at Olio Nuovo Days 2026
Rosmaninho Gourmet Cobrançosa, produced by the Valpaços Olive Growers Cooperative, won the Premium Gold medal at the Paris Quality Awards 2026 — the highest distinction awarded within the framework of Olio Nuovo Days, the most prestigious international event dedicated to new harvest extra virgin olive oil, held in the French capital. (Source: Municipality of Valpaços; Rádio Regional)
The evaluation was conducted by a jury of international experts in sensory analysis and Michelin-starred chefs, who assessed each product based on criteria of purity, freshness and sensory profile — the three pillars that define a truly exceptional extra virgin olive oil. (Source: Canal N)
The result does not surprise those who know Rosmaninho. But it confirms, before the world, what Valpaços producers have known for more than seven decades: that the unique conditions of their territory — the harsh winters, the schist soils, the centuries-old holm oaks — create the perfect conditions for a Cobrançosa with an unmistakable character.
What makes this olive oil different
The Cobrançosa variety: the soul of Valpaços
Cobrançosa is one of the oldest and most emblematic varieties of Trás-os-Montes. In the case of Rosmaninho, the result is an olive oil with aromas of green almond, green banana, and olive leaf, with pronounced freshness, marked spiciness, and long persistence—a sensory profile that experts in Paris have ranked among the best in the world. (Source: Best Olive Oils / Cooperativa de Olivicultores de Valpaços)
A cooperative with 75 years of history and 2,200 farmers
The Valpaços Olive Growers Cooperative was founded on June 1, 1951, by 28 founding members. Today it has more than 2,200 members in the municipalities of Valpaços, Mirandela, and Vinhais, and produces an annual average of 2 million liters of olive oil—with a range of products that includes single-varietal, PDO, organic, and gourmet varieties. (Source: Valpaços Olive Growers Cooperative)
It is not just an achievement of a product—it is the recognition of 75 years of collective work, passed down from generation to generation in the highlands of northeastern Portugal.
Valpaços: a territory of excellence in series
This award in Paris comes to a territory that continues to assert itself. In 2025, Valpaços was distinguished as the Best Organic City in Europe — a European recognition that rewarded the municipality's commitment to sustainable agriculture, local products, and quality of life. Olive oil was, naturally, at the heart of this argument.
And it's not just Rosmaninho Gourmet Cobrançosa. In the results of Olio Nuovo Days 2026, Valpaços appears with multiple award-winning products: Rosmaninho Praemium, Rosmaninho Superior, and Rosmaninho DOP — confirming that excellence here is not an accident, it's a system. (Source: Olio Nuovo Days — official results 2026)
Why it's worth going to Valpaços to taste it at the source
For those visiting Northern Portugal and wanting to understand why the olive oil from Trás-os-Montes has such global recognition, Valpaços is a stop that will not be forgotten. The Cooperative, located in the heart of the village, welcomes visitors who want to learn about the production process, taste the Rosmaninho range, and take home a bottle with a story.
Combining a visit to the Cooperative with an exploration of the region—the centuries-old olive groves, the granite villages, the gastronomy of Trás-os-Montes—is a complete and authentic olive tourism experience.
👉 Explore our olive tourism itineraries in Trás-os-Montes and discover how to include Valpaços in your next weekend in Northern Portugal.
Sources:
– Município de Valpaços: https://valpacos.pt/eu-sou-municipe/noticias/noticia/98
– Olio Nuovo Days — resultados oficiais 2026: https://www.olio-nuovo-day.com/file-users-2026-evoo-competition-results/
– Cooperativa de Olivicultores de Valpaços: https://www.azeite-valpacos.com/en/
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