Oxfordshire businesses have won nearly 70 prizes at a prestigious foodie awards.

The Great Taste Awards 2023 were announced on Monday after more than 500 judges took part in blind taste tests to rate the quality of food producers across the country.

Fino Olive Oil Ltd, based on Islip Road in Oxford, won a three-star Great Taste Award for its Dark Balsamic (Crema), the highest accolade in the competition, for the third time.

Meanwhile Wallingford-based Rowse honey had hits in every category.

Bicester Advertiser:

More than 14,000 food and drink products from 109 countries were assessed over the course of 89 judging days in London and Dorset, and only 1.8 per cent of them were awarded three stars.

The awards organised by the Guild of Fine Food will judge products made anywhere in the world.

Now in its 30th year, organisers say it is the largest global accreditation scheme for food and drink. 

Here are Oxfordshire’s best preserves, pies, drinks, sauces and more:

Three star

Fino - Fino Dark Balsamic (Crema)

Two star

POD Chocolate Experiences - 60 per cent Dark & 33 per cent Milk Belgian Crunchy Hazelnut Chocolate Pralines

Worton Organics Ltd - BlackCurrant Drinking Vinegar

Valeo Foods UK - Buckwud Classic Organic Maple Syrup, Buckwud Intense Organic Maple Syrup, Rowse Manuka Honey 250+ MGO, Rowse Scottish Heather Honey

Waterperry Gardens - Cox’s Orange Pippin (1825), Egremont Russet

Gelato Henley Limited - Cremino

Shandy Shack - Ginger Beer Shandy, Rhurbarb Lager

Indigo Valley Coffee Company - Liberty Espresso

The Cocktail Service - Oak Aged Sloe Negroni

Cpress - Organic Golden Ratio Cold Pressed Juice

Pink Salt Shed - Pea & Mint Pesto, Red Chilli Pesto

Womersley Fruit & Herb Vinegars Ltd - Raspberry Vinegar

Fresh Kitchen (Fresh Direct (UK) Ltd) - Rum Sauce

Nettlebed Creamery - Witheridge in Hay

Worton Organics Ltd - Worton Wild Honey

One star

POD Chocolate Experiences - 39 per cent Arriba Milk (Ecuador) Chocolate with Roasted Almonds & Sea Salt, 45 per cent Milk Belgian Chocolate with Caramelised Wafer & Honeycomb pieces

Waterperry Gardens - Ashmead Kernel Apple Juice

Kind to Bee - Bee pollen, Kind to Bee Honey Garden Candy

Fresh Kitchen (Fresh Direct (UK) Ltd) - Beef Bourguignon, Comeback Sauce, Golden Beetroot Piccalilli

Indigo Valley Coffee Company - Charlotte No4, Liberty Java No7

Cotswold Fudge Company - Cotswold Gin Fudge

Pavilion Foods Ltd - Cranberry Sauce with Mulled Spices, Lamb keema pie with saffron and yoghurt mash topping, Mushroom, herb and puy lentil pie with sweet potato topping, Signature Pork, apple and cranberry stuffing topped with smoky bacon

Bicester Advertiser: Rowse honey

Jericho Coffee Traders - Fazenda Paraisinho, Finca Las Brisas, Mwami

The Henley Distillery - Henley Gin Classic Dry

Nettlebed Creamery - Highmoor

J Maillard Trading Ltd - Johnny HoT Jalapeno Syrup

Waterperry Farm Shop - Minted Lamb Pie, Waterperry Cote de Boeuf, Waterperry Leg of Lamb

Ogglio UK Ltd - Ogglio Sicilian Extra Virgin

Cpress - Organic Evergreen Cold Pressed Juice

The Oxford Artisan Distillery - Oxford Rye Whisky The Tawny Pipe

C-Real - Pear, Pecan, Coconut & Beetroot Granola

Valeo Foods UK - Rowse Clear Honey Jar, Rowse Manuka Honey 100+ MGO, Rowse Manuka Honey 500+ MGO, Rowse Organic Clear Honey Jar, Rowse Organic Set Honey Jar, Rowse Squeezy British Honey, Rowse Squeezy Dark & Rich Honey, Rowse Squeezy Greek Honey, Rowse Squeezy Supahoney

Whittard of Chelsea - Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

McCormick & Co., Inc - Schwartz Signature Beef Gravy

The Cocktail Service - Smoked Old Fashioned

Pink Salt Shed - Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

The Henley Distillery - The Henley Distillery White Label London Dry Gin

Fresh Kitchen (Fresh Direct (UK) Ltd) - Tomato & Basil Gelato, Watermelon Pickle

Cotswold Fudge Company - Vegan Caramel & Seasalt Fudge