Brie, bocconcini, burrata and everything in between: here are the local makers that won big at this year’s awards. 

Break out the charcuterie board because more than 160 medals have been handed out a this year’s annual cheese awards. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the awards, with 57 gold, 55 silver and 48 bronze medals awarded to makers from throughout the country.

Judges are a mix of cheesemakers, cheese retailers, food technologists and food writers who sniffed and tasted a range of New Zealand-made cheese across 20 categories. On the lineup? Ewe milk, washed rind, blue cheese, Dutch style, fresh Italian style, Greek-Cypriot style and more.

Gold medal winners include artisan producers Cartwheel Creamery, Clevedon Buffalo Co and ViaVio Cheese. The Curds & Whey Amateur Cheesemaker award was awarded to St Peter’s College for their SPC Blue.

Master Judge Jason Tarrant says many of the winners from the inaugural awards in 2004 were recognised again 20 years on, including brands like Kāpiti, Whitestone and Puhoi.

The full list of winners can be found on the Cheeselovers website. The gold medal winners will battle it out for top gongs at the Cheese Awards Gala Dinner in Hamilton in May.