2023 NZ Champions of Cheese Medal Winners

The judges have spoken and we’re excited to announce our seven medal winners from the 2023 NZ Champions of Cheese Awards. These awards are run by the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association to promote and develop the NZ cheese industry and are judged independently by an expert team of New Zealand judges.

These Awards honour technical excellence in the manufacture of New Zealand cheese with a broader objective to drive consumption of NZ specialist cheeses by raising awareness, encouraging trial and promoting the usage of NZ cheese.

A big congratulations to our cheesemakers who work hard all year round to handcraft our delicious product. Keep reading to learn more about our selected cheeses.

Shop any of these medal winners by clicking on their images below *Southern Cross still in production for retail - coming soon

Tomme – Gold Medal

Tomme is a special blend of buffalo and goat’s milk, made in a Gouda style. With a creamy texture and pale paste, buffalo milk is excessively rich but balanced out by the lower fat content of the goat’s milk. You can’t go wrong pairing this cheese with a nice chardonnay or chianti.

Camembert – Gold Medal

Our Camembert is Normandy-style, made with a much gentler and more ancient process than other modern Camembert. Delicate, mushroomy notes add to the earthy aroma and taste of this cheese. It is a popular addition to any cheese board or grazing table. Get creative in the kitchen and try out this Stuffed Camembert recipe from NZ Cheeselovers.

Goat Camembert – Silver Medal

This cheese has a delicate flavour when young and ripens quickly, developing an earthy, tangy flavour with age. As the pearly white paste matures it changes from firm to silky and smooth. We’ve seen an increasing interest in goat (and sheep) cheese in our delis recently and we can highly recommend serving on a nice seedy cracker with a fig fruit paste or chutney.

Galactic Gold – Silver Medal

Galactic Gold is a showstopper on any cheese board. With a vibrant orange rind and piquant flavour, as this cheese matures the paste turns from soft to creamy and melting, while the aroma intensifies. If you have any leftover from your next cheeseboard, it is also delicious in salad or quiche. You can also serve as an easy after-dinner treat alongside some dried fruit.

Gee’s Black Truffle Spread – Bronze Medal

This delicious, creamy cheese spread is named for our senior cheesemaker, Gee and has quickly become a bestseller in-store. Smother a good serving across a cracker or some crusty bread – you’ll soon be back for more. The black truffle flavour works well when melting this spread over veges (like asparagus) or topping a nice juicy steak.

Creamy Blue – Bronze Medal

As the name suggests, this cheese is rich and creamy with a sharp blue bite. Velvety in texture, our Creamy Blue is a smooth and versatile cheese. Great on a cheeseboard, you can also use it in cooking to top dishes or add to soups. With great flavour and visual appeal, many couples choose our Creamy Blue when designing a wedding cheese tower with us.

Southern Cross – Bronze Medal

Our Southern Cross is a unique blend of buffalo, sheep, cow and goat milk. The black wax encases a firm rind and ivory body that has a nutty aroma and smooth, creamy texture. The flavour is sweet and nutty, with a tang that gets stronger as the cheese matures.