The Cuisine NZ Champions of Cheese Awards is a celebration of local cheesemaking – honouring technical excellence in the manufacture of New Zealand cheese. Gouda and Edam varieties took out the top two awards.
The event attracted a record 430 cheese entries from 36 different companies throughout New Zealand. Entries were judged across 19 different categories and judges awarded gold, silver and bronze medals before naming a champion for each category.
With four new cheesemakers, an increase in the use of mixed milk blends, the rise of Haloumiand washed rind cheeses as Kiwifavourites, and the use of cardoon (a thistle-like plant) as a coagulating agent, some surprises were expected.
Professional speciality cheesemakers represented the bulk of the entries but cheese made at home attracted 17 entries received for the 
Homecrafted Cheese category from 10 different hobbyist cheesemakers throughout the country.
In the event, Meyer Vintage Gouda, produced by Meyer Gouda Cheese, won the Champion of Champions Award for large cheesemakers, and Very Old Edam from Mahoe Farmhouse Cheese has taken out the Champion Artisan Award for smaller producers.
These two supreme awards have equal status as the most prestigious awards for cheese excellence in New Zealand.
More than 400 cheeses were entered in this year’s competition, with the winners announced at a gala dinner and awards ceremony at The Langham in Auckland on February 28.
The 2012 Cuisine NZ Champions of Cheese Awards judging was led for the fourth year running by Master Judge Russell Smith, one of Australasia’s most experienced international cheese judges and a renowned cheese educationalist.
Every cheese was examined by both a technical and an aesthetic judge and strictly graded to pre-determined bronze, silver and gold standards.
Mr Smith says New Zealand’s Dutch style cheeses are one of the stand outs in the specialty cheese industry.
“The calibre of New Zealand’s Dutch style cheeses is always high which can make them a challenge to judge,” says Mr Smith.
“The Mahoe Farmhouse Very Old Edam and Meyer Vintage Gouda were clear winners for all the judges, illustrating the extraordinary talent of these young second generation cheesemakers.”
The Champion Artisan Award was set up to celebrate cheesemakers that produce less than 20 tonnes of cheese annually.
This year Kerikeri-based Mahoe Farmhouse Cheese took away the supreme title for its Very Old Edam. Its cheesemaker, 33 year old Jacob Rosevear was also awarded the NZ Cheese School Champion Cheesemaker of the Year award at just 33 years of age.
Mahoe Farmhouse Cheese is a family owned business which was founded in Kerikeri in 1986 by Jacob’s parents, Anna and Bob Rosevear.
“This was a stand-out winner and a prime example of a beautifully crafted Dutch cheese,” says Mr Smith.
“The intense tropical fruit flavour and the lingering, clean aftertaste combine with the light crunchy crystals to create an absolute taste delight.”
Hamilton-based Meyer Gouda Cheese focuses solely on producing world-class Gouda cheeses and they always perform consistently well at the cheese awards.
Miel Meyer is head cheesemaker at Meyer Gouda Cheese and was crowned champion cheesemaker of the Year at last year’s awards. The Meyer business produces around 60 tonnes of Gouda annually.
“Meyer’s Vintage Gouda is another example of a high quality Gouda which has been superbly crafted with subtle fruit-driven flavours and savoury overtones, making it a stunning example of a Dutch style cheese,” says Mr Smith.
A number of the 2011 award-winning cheeses have taken out category trophies for the 
second year running.
Last year’s Champion of Champions Award winner, Kapiti Kikorangi confirmed its place as one of New Zealand’s best loved cheeses by winning the New World Champion Favourite Cheese Award.
“This year, we invited our customers to vote for their favourite cheese and the KapitiKikorangicame out on top,” says Foodstuffs Auckland senior marketing coordinator Sarah McClennan.
“Four out of the top 10 People’s Choice cheeses were blue varietals, stamping it a firm favourite style for Kiwiconsumers.”
Whitestone Vintage Blue and Cheddar produced by Fonterra Edendale were also winners at the awards for the second year in a row – picking up the Ecolab Champion Blue Cheese and GEON Champion Cheddar Cheese awards respectively.
“The resurgence of mixed milk cheese varieties is part of an international trend that we 
are also witnessing here in New Zealand.
Cheeses made from goat, sheep, cow, buffalo milk and blends of these are all growing in popularity due to their complex flavour profiles,” says organiser VikkiLee Goode.
“The increase in the number of buffalo cheese entries is very surprising given there are only two buffalo herds in New Zealand.
"The volume of buffalo milk produced is also variable given the temperamental nature of these animals which is a hurdle the cheesemaker must overcome,” she says.
“The volume of washed rind cheese entries with their distinctive ‘pungent’ smell reflects the maturing of Kiwitaste buds. Over the past decade, we have become more adventurous and so have our cheesemakers,” says Ms Goode.
White stone Cheese, Mahoe Farmhouse, Meyer Gouda, Fonterra Brands, Talbot Forest, Over the Moon Dairy Company and Adrian Walcroft won in two or more categories.
