Yoghurt and butter to join battle of the cheeses

 Now in its twelfth year, the New Zealand Champions of Cheese Awards bring the country's finest specialty cheese under one roof, in the hope of winning one of 23 champion titles.

"The stage is set for an incredible competition with new players, new classes and new awards. It's also exciting to be able to showcase our amazing cheese industry with some of the world's most influential cheese critics," says organiser of the NZ Champions of Cheese Awards, Tony Goode.

This year will also see the addition of new categories for yoghurt and butter, acknowledging the importance of these dairy products alongside cheese in retail chillers.

While the future of New Zealand cheese making will be recognised with the first Primary ITO 'Aspiring Cheesemaker' Award.

The strength of the home crafted category also continues to build this year with strong entry levels.

"A sign of how home cheesemaking is advancing is the progression of previous award winners to become fully fledged professionals, like Cartwheel Creamery," Goode says.

"Cheesemakers in this category generally start with more simple fresh cheeses, but what we're seeing this year is the entry of aged varieties with more complex flavours that undoubtedly require more skill."

Russell Smith, one of Australasia's most experienced international cheese judges and renowned cheese educationalist will lead the international judging team.

Smith will be joined by Thalassa (Lassa) Skinner, founder, and co-owner of a magazine dedicated entirely to cheese –Culture.

"It's an honour to judge the NZ Champions of Cheese Awards alongside others I hold in high regard," Skinner says

"Culture is keeping a close eye on New Zealand's cheese scene, knowing there's a burgeoning cheese industry here along with strong specialty food appreciation throughout the country. We're eager to share this with food lovers globally."

The judging panel comprises of 31 expert assessors, including some of New Zealand's most experienced dairy connoisseurs. Together they will consume and critique up to 450 cheeses, butters, and yoghurts in search of the nation's best.

A technical and an aesthetic judge working as a duo, will examine each cheese and strictly graded to pre-determined gold, silver, and bronze standards.

Judges will also determine Champions across 23 categories before selecting the two best overall cheeses, which will receive supreme winner of the Puhoi Valley Champion Artisan Award for small artisan producers, and the Countdown Champion of Champions Award for larger producers.

Kiwi cheese lovers can also have their say with the New World Champion Favourite Cheese Award selected entirely by public votes through the New World website.

New Zealand's largest cheese exporters, small artisan cheesemakers, home crafted cheeses and yoghurt and butter producers, will be judged by an expert panel at The Langham in Auckland on Sunday 15th March. The 2015 NZ Champions of Cheese Award winners will be announced at a gala dinner at The Langham in Auckland on Tuesday 17th March.