Yealands Estate and New Zealand’s best cheese.

I was lucky enough to attend the New Zealand Champions of Cheese Gala dinner last week with Yealands Estate Wines.

Now in its eighth year, the Cheese Awards attracted more than 450 entries from cheesemakers around the country - 28 expert cheese assessors tasted more than two tonnes of speciality cheese in the quest to find New Zealand’s best cheese.

The finalists were announced at a Gala dinner and awards ceremony at the Langham Hotel.  Yealands wines were served alongside a menu designed by Executive Chef Volker Marecek and an edible, and very memorable, cheese centrepiece.

In tribute to the timeless classic - the wine and cheese partnership - Yealands Estate was the sponsor of the ultimate award of the evening, the Yealands Estate Champion of Champions.

The Champion of Champions this year was awarded to New Zealand favourite, the Kapiti Kikorangi, produced by Fonterra Brands NZ. Kikorangi, the Maori word for blue, was first produced in the early nineties at a time when specialty cheeses were relatively new to New Zealand.  Kapiti Kikorangi is credited with introducing many Kiwis to the delights of blue cheese.

Yealands Estate wine the Pete’s Shed Tempranillo was selected by Chef Volker Marecek to match the main course which featured the Kapiti Kikorangi – delicious!

Yealands Estate Winemaker Tamra Washington describes the Pete’s Shed Tempranillo as “brimming with notes of tamarillo, tangy strawberry and spice. On the palate the bright red fruit flavours and integrated tannins deliver a soft finish.”

If you want to try the match for yourself you can pick up a bottle of the 2009 Tempranillo here and a piece of Kapiti Kikorangi cheese from any good supermarket.