Whitestone scores big at New Zealand cheese awards

Image caption:  Simon and Annabel Berry at Cheese Awards 2015


Artisan Oamaru cheesemaker Whitestone has taken 29 medals at the New Zealand Champions of Cheese Awards, which were announced at a gala dinner in Auckland last night.

Whitestone’s accolades included Champion Sheep Cheese for its Monte Cristo sheep’s milk cheese.

CEO Simon Berry says the company has been making Monte Cristo for 20 years and has a subtle nutty flavour. “It’s a unique recipe that goes back to the early foundations of our cheese-making. We press and mature the cheese for four months in wax, and the flavour intensifies becoming more complex as it ages.”

He was also thrilled to see Whitestone’s new Gruyere win a Gold Medal in the European Style Cheese category. “This cheese isn’t even on the market yet but will be in the next three months. Given the strength of European cheeses in this particular category, we’re delighted to get gold for that one.”

Berry says the annual awards run by the NZ Specialist Cheesemakers Association are a very useful indicator of performance standards for cheesemakers nationally.

“It’s great to be judged by our peers in the industry and reinforces that what we’re doing is world-class.

“Whitestone has a long history of award success having won numerous awards in the last 12 years. The judges awarded fewer gold medals than usual this year, so to still do so well further cements our position in the market as world-class producer of quality cheeses.”

The 2015 New Zealand Champions of Cheese Awards attracted 470 specialty cheeses, yoghurts and butter entries from throughout New Zealand. The judging panel featured 31 of New Zealand’s most experienced dairy connoisseurs, including top international critics.


WINNING WHITESTONE CHEESES

Champion category:

Whitestone Monte Cristo: Champion Sheep Cheese

Gold Awards:

Whitestone Gruyere – European Style Cheese
Whitestone Livingstone – Original Cheese
Whitestone Mount Domet – Original Cheese
Whitestone 3 & 4 Pack Cheese platters – Cheese Packaging

Silver Awards:

Whitestone Highland Blue – Blue Cheese
Whitestone Moeraki Bay Blue – Original Cheese
Whitestone Lindis Pass Brie – Original Cheese
Whitestone Lindis Pass Brie – Export Cheese
Whitestone Waitaki Camembert – Export Cheese category

Bronze Awards:

Whitestone Fuchsia Creek – Feta Cheese
Whitestone Stoney Hill – Feta Cheese
Whitestone Brie Maxi – Soft White Rind Cheese
Whitestone Probiotic Camembert – Soft White Rind Cheese
Whitestone Probiotic Brie – Soft White Rind Cheese
Whitestone Mount Domet – Soft White Rind Cheese
Whitestone Vintage Windsor Blue – Blue Cheese
Whitestone Moeraki Bay Blue – Blue Cheese
Whitestone Windsor Blue – Blue Cheese
Whitestone Windsor Blue – Original Cheese
Whitestone Highland Blue – Original Cheese
Whitestone Airedale – Original Cheese
Whitestone Farmhouse – Original Cheese
Whitestone Moeraki Bay Blue – Bronze in the Export Cheese
Whitestone Gruyere – Export Cheese
Whitestone Mt Domet – Export Cheese category 
Whitestone Brie Maxi – Export Cheese
Whitestone Probiotic Brie – Export Cheese
Whitestone Probiotic Camembert – Export Cheese