British Cheese Awards: Supreme Champion Named

Pavé Cobble is named after the classic bicycle races held on the cobbled roads in Belgium and northern France. The cheese also scooped three more awards at the awards, including Best Soft White, Best Specialist Cheesemaker and Best English Cheese.

The winners of the 24th annual British Cheese Awards were announced at the Royal Bath & West Show, Shepton Mallet, Somerset held on 31st May.

This year’s competition attracted just under 1,000 entries from 144 makers, with 70 judges reviewing 135 classes of cheese. Cheeses entered came from over 54 counties from the UK and Ireland.

Peter Mitchell, chairman of the British Cheese Awards said, “The number and quality of the cheeses entered for this year’s awards has been exceptional and made judging and choosing the winners a real challenge. We’re delighted that White Lake Cheese, a local Somerset cheesemaker, won the Supreme Champion trophy for its Pavé Cobble; a delicious and intriguing aged fresh sheep milk cheese.

“We’re very fortunate in this country to have such a great number of dedicated and skilled cheesemakers that are renowned for their excellence and commitment to quality. This is reflected in the cheeses that were judged this year. All the cheeses that were entered into the competition are on display at the Royal Bath & West Show until this Saturday 3rd June.”

Roger Longman, co-founder and cheesemaker at White Lake Cheese said, “We were excited and nervous when we arrived at the awards dinner as we had no idea how we were going to do. When we won the first award, Best Fresh Cheese, for Pavé Cobble we were really thrilled and then we just kept winning more awards. We love cheesemaking and Pavé Cobble is a combination of the two things that I love doing – making cheese and cycling. The icing on the cake for us was to win Supreme Champion, simply fantastic!

“The British Cheese Awards are the premier cheese awards in the UK and to us are the only ones that matter. The whole evening was overwhelming for us and it means so much for us to be judged by our peers. The event and the judges are the best in the country and they really are a superb celebration of British cheesemakers.”

The awards also hosted a Cheese Marquee, where British cheesemakers who entered the awards had the opportunity to sell their products to visitors,

2017 champion and special winners:

Champion

Champion Retailer Marks and Spencer

Supreme Champion Pavé Cobble - White Lake Cheese

Reserve Champion Lancashire Crumbly Block - Belton Cheese Limited

Country Awards

Best English Cheese Pavé Cobble - White Lake Cheese

Best Scottish Cheese Seriously Mature - Caledonian Cheese Company

Best Welsh Cheese Saval Rind Washed - Caws Teifi Cheese

Best Irish Cheese Durrus Óg - Durrus Cheese

Main Category Awards

Best Flavour-Added Nortons Soft With Lavender - Nortons Dairy

Best New Cheese Ashlynn - Cheese Cellar Dairy

Best Export White Fox - Export Cheese - Modern British Cow - Belton Cheese Limited

Best Dairy Product Yorkshire Yogurt - Wensleydale Dairy Products

Best Packaging Award Heart-shaped Vintage Organic Cheddar - Godminster

Best Fresh Cheese Pavé Cobble - White Lake Cheese

Best Soft White Ashlynn - Cheese Cellar Dairy

Best Semi-Soft Saval Rind Washed - Caws Teifi Cheese

Best Modern British Sheep Rustler - White Lake Cheese

Best Blue Beauvale - Cropwell Bishop Creamery Ltd

Special Awards

Best Cheddar Westcombe Cheddar - Westcombe Dairy

Best Territorial Lancashire Crumbly Block - Belton Cheese Limited

Best Goat Cheese Cave Aged Goat - Ashley Chase Estate Ltd

Best Organic Cheese Dumpling - Wootton Organic Dairy

Best PDO/PGI Cheese Westcombe Cheddar - Westcombe Dairy

Best Show Dressed Cheese Taw Valley - Arla Foods -Taw Valley Creamery

Best Creamery Cheese Lancashire Crumbly Block - Belton Cheese Limited

Specialist Cheesemaker Award Pavé Cobble - White Lake Cheese