A love for the olive, carved into the karst

My love for the olive tree began in childhood. I have always felt a deep respect for this sacred tree – for its beauty, its strength and the precious oil without which fine cuisine is unthinkable.

Five hundred trees, planted by hand

Wherever I saw a patch of free land, I felt the urge to plant. I gave seedlings away to friends and dug the holes by hand, the old way – no machines, in the hard Dalmatian karst. Tree by tree, more than 500 olives took root.

A life in a house not surrounded by olive trees was unthinkable to me.

Karst is not land that gives easily. But in it the olive sends its roots deep, grows slower and stronger – and that is why its fruit is so concentrated in aroma. Read what our grove looks like today in the story The olive grove.

2010 – time to learn

The turning point came in 2010, when I decided to deepen my knowledge. Alongside the traditional native varieties, I planted some of the world's finest varieties – eager to explore and to learn.

The first real test: 98.75 out of 100

The first real test came in 2019, when I found the courage to enter our oil in a competition. The result was incredible – a gold medal and a high 4th place with 98.75 out of 100 points.

That gave me a strong tailwind to devote myself to researching and perfecting the craft of making top-quality olive oil – from harvest to milling, which we describe in the story The process. Despite the challenge of scattered plots around our Pakoštane, I never gave up.

To the very top of the world

Constant effort, learning and dedication led to the highest international recognition. In 2025 our oil reached the very top: it won a gold medal in New York (NYIOOC), the world's largest olive oil competition, and a prestigious platinum medal in London.

A year later we defended our New York gold – read more in the story Gold from New York.

A passion that became a family affair

What began as a personal passion is today the story of our whole family. How we care for the olives together – and where you can taste our oil by the sea – is told in the story Family and Leut Beach Bar.

For us, olive growing is not just a job – it is a way of life, a family tradition and an endless pursuit of perfection.