From the 3rd – 6th of November the 33rd edition of the World Cheese Awards, the equivalent of the Oscars for the Cheese sector, was held in Oviedo, Spain.
Over 4000 cheese from 6 different continents were submitted to be judged by 230 experts from cheese buyers to cheesemakers and food journalists in just one day.
Indeed, allow me to paint the scene for you: imagine a sea of cheese in all shapes and sizes flooding the Palacio de Congresos, the pungent cheese breeze wafting in the hall coupled with rain-streaked windowpanes. Very atmospheric.
Feedback from the World Cheese Award Judges
The judges we grouped into teams of three and assigned a table, each containing about 50 different types of cheese to assess, review and then award a bronze, silver, gold and the ultimate, a super gold award. Not an easy task when considering that the cheeses were not all from the same category.
The event organisers added apple slices; quite fitting considering the event was held in the apple cider territory of Asturias, to neutralize the palate between tastings.
However, some judges commented that they needed more like a coffee bean as per perfume testing to break up the distinctions more fairly between each cheese.
When strolling past the tables some tables did appear to be a bit off-balanced when it came to cheeses either having more blue cheese or longer matured cheeses versus the more subtle varieties than other tables.
According to the event organisers, The Guild of Fine Food from the UK, the blind tasting is “done on purpose to ensure no biases and to maintain the integrity of the reputable and much anticipated annual event”.
The winning cheeses were judged upon their rind, texture, body and taste. And the cheese had to be well balanced, not winning solely on its looks.
Thomas Hirt, a first-time judge and cheese buyer from Switzerland, thought the event was “well organized considering the sheer size of cheese entries from all over the world” and advised cheese-makers “to stick to quality tasting cheese over marketing gimmicks which instead of being eye-catching and appealing, end up being more eye-burning.”
This was about the variety of “wild” cheese entries that placed more effort of daring appearance over substance.
David Grammels from Rogue River USA, who won the prestigious super gold number 1 prize in 2019 for his wine leaves draped blue-cheese soaked in a liqueur, was pleased to be a judge this year allowing him free time to taste the famous blue-cheese varietals of Asturias.
“I had the chance to visit one of the cheese caves here and boy, was I surprised by the punch of the local cabrales cheese.”
Patrick McGuigan from the Academy of Cheese in the UK also commented on the strength and depth of the Asturian cabrales cheese.
“Really intense flavour that is creamy, spicy, boozy but all in balance. As one of the stronger blue cheese, I think it’s up there as one of finest blue cheese of Europe alongside Gorgonzola, Stilton and Roquefort.”
Highest contribution & winners from Spain this year
Spanish cheese was well appreciated this year, with a Spanish cheesemakers Quesos y Besos, Cheese and Kisses, from Andalucia winning the top gong this year.
In fact, 18% of the awards, 732 in total, were given to Spanish cheeses: gold, silver or bronze. A further 27 were awarded the prestigious super gold. Super gold winners are then ranked as the top 88 cheesemakers in the world!
On the Canary Islands, a destination with a long heritage in goat cheese, three super gold medals were given: Queseria Montesdeoca (Tenerife), Grupo de Ganaderos de Fuertaventura (Fuertaventura) and Lactomilk Canarias (Lanzarote.).
Judge David Grammels had two cured kinds of cheese from Queseria Montesdeoca on his table to judge, both were given a bronze medal. One was a goat with cow milk mature aged cheese, the other a goat with sheep milk mature cheese with a gofio rind.
“What struck me about the Canary Islands cheese is their rind, beautifully executed. They have a very distinctive flavour with a nice pace. They are Gold medallist in my palate.”
Queseria Montesdeoca, a third generational family business in Tenerife, collected four awards this year. A Super Gold for its Queso Curado de Cabra con Oregano – this cheese won in 2017 and now again in 2021.
Three bronzes were given to its Queso Semicurado Ahumado, Queso Curado de Cabra y Vaca, and Queso Curado de Cabra y Oveja con Gofio.
Alberto Montesdeoca from Queseria Montesdeoca said. ”We are pleased to be continually maintaining our high standards in cheese-making and for all our hard work being recognized by such reputable institutions and judges. It is not easy to be a farmer and cheesemaker and in such contests, you truly test your skills and patience! “
Since 2010 this humble cheese-making family has collected 28 medals for its goat’s cheese from the World Cheese Awards.
The next World Cheese Awards in 2022 will take place in Ukraine. The world holds its breath to see what new cheesy delights await us.