German cheese reigns as supreme champion at International Cheese Awards

A German Montagnolo Affine produced by Kaserei Champignon and imported into the UK by Elite Imports has been crowned supreme champion at this year’s International Cheese Awards in Nantwich, UK, winning the accolade ahead of more than 3,927 other competitors. A panel of expert judges from the dairy industry judged a Wookey Hole Cave Aged cheddar produced by Ashley Chase Estate  as the Nantwich Reserve Supreme Champion whilst Belton Cheese Ltd won the National Westminster trophy for the highest number of gold awards. Marks & Spencer won the supreme retailer award.  The Wookey Hole cheddar was supreme champion last year.
Richard Paul, show chairman (pictured with winning cheese), says: “We had more than 3,927 entries in all and for the Montagnolo Affine to have beaten them all to become supreme  champion means it is a truly exceptional cheese. Our panel of 156 expert judges are looking for flavour, for overall appearance and for the truly remarkable – and with our supreme champion, along with all the other category winners and runner ups, they found it. All winners can now feature the International Cheese Awards logo on packaging, and when a shopper spots it they can be safe in the knowledge that the product has been judged, by experts, as outstanding.”
Mick Acuta of Elite Imports says, “I’m thrilled. I feel like I’ve just won gold at the Olympics. I just want to complement and thank the cheese maker Kaserei Champignon for the quality of this cheese. A few years ago it won reserve overseas champion and this is another great achievement for it.”