The scientist behind the cheese

Adrian Walcroft, who with his wife Jill, owns Cartwheel Creamery in the Pohangina Valley just out of Palmerston North, was named the Milk Test NZ Champion Cheesemaker and won three others awards for their cheeses.

While driving back from the awards in Hamilton, Jill Walcroft told Dairy News that winning three trophies was almost too much and added to the excitement of the event.

"You must get the cheese just right on the day for the judges. You make good cheese all year, but you have got to really have it just right for that competition and that's what the medals are about," she says.

Jill says she's delighted her husband Adrian won the award and was recognised for his efforts and noted that there are many very good cheesemakers out there.

The journey to 2023 cheesemaker of the year began for Adrian - a former climate change scientist back in the 1990s - when according to Jill, he famously spent the week before their wedding in 1996 doing a cheesemaker course.

She says initially they had plans to make sheep milk cheese and started making cheese while they were both working. Jill was a scientist at AgResearch. It was during this time that Adrian won an award for the best amateur cheesemaker. Soon after, Adrian resigned and began setting up the business which first traded commercially in 2014.

"For the last nine years we have entered the awards every year and always got medals of different colours so we are very proud of that along the way. It was always an aspirational goal to win a major award because we know we make good cheese," she says.

According to NZ Specialist Cheesemakers Association, Adrian Walcroft made a 12 year journey from being named the country's top hobby cheesemaker in 2012 to claim this year's top professional cheesemaking accolade.

Champion Cheesemaker is selected by a special judging team who assess three different styles of cheeses made by each entrant to choose a winner whose cheeses are the best across the board.

Bestowing the accolade on Adrian, the judges noted, "Lovely lingering flavours, cheeses are all true to style. All three cheeses are beautifully made".

Cartwheel Creamery was also awarded two other trophies; Puhoi Valley Champion of Champions (Boutique) for its Cartwheel Creamery, Opiki Ma and CHR Hansen Champion Soft-Ripened Cheese also for Cartwheel Creamery, Opiki Milk. Made with goat milk, Opiki Ma is a soft white mould cheese - traditionally called a camembert-style - with a hint of mushroom flavours and a luxurious melting texture with lingering flavour.

Cartwheel Creamery's accolades were among 27 trophies awarded in recognition of the country's finest cheeses at the awards held in Hamilton two weeks ago.