With more than 430 cheese and dairy products to choose from, judges for the 2014 Australian Grand Dairy Awards have identified 56 finalists ahead of the awards presentation later this month.
Now in its 15th year, the Australian Grand Dairy Awards recognise and reward excellence, quality and innovation in Australian dairy produce.
To be eligible, products must be made from Australian milk and have been awarded gold at state qualifying competitions.
Products from 19 different classes were put through their paces in a highly technical judging process by a team of 22 judges who tasted and tested based on flavour, aroma, body, texture, colour and appearance.
Cheese making expert and the Australian Grand Dairy Award’s chief judge, Neil Willman, said "I continue to be impressed by the great dairy products being created by Australian manufacturers and this year, it has been exciting to see some smaller producers give some of the more well established products a run for their money."
The 2014 Australian Grand Dairy Awards winners for each product class will be selected from the following list of 56 finalists. The highest scoring product from both the dairy and cheese categories will also be crowned Grand Champions recognising them as Australia’s best dairy product and Australia’s best cheese. This will be revealed at an awards ceremony in Melbourne on 26 November.
The 2014 Australian Grand Dairy Awards finalists are:
Cheese:
Class 1 – Fresh Unripened Cheese
La Vera Ricotta
Brancourts Neufchatel
Montefiore Mascarpone
Class 2 – White Mould Cheese
King Island Dairy Black Label Double Brie
Wicked Brie
Class 3 – Semi-Hard and Eye Cheese
Heidi Farm Tilsit
Heidi Farm Gruyere
Tasmanian Heritage St Claire
Class 4 – Cheddar Style Cheese
Pyengana Cheddar
Warrnambool Heritage Tasty Cheddar
Warrnambool Mature Cheddar
Class 5 – Hard Cheese
Mil Lel Parmesan
Mil Lel Romano
La Vera Pecorino
Class 6 – Blue Cheese
Berry's Creek Tarwin Blue
Berry's Creek Bellingham Blue
King Island Dairy Roaring Forties Blue
Class 7 – Washed Rind Cheese
King Island Dairy Huxley Washed Rind
Tasmanian Heritage Red Square
Old Telegraph Road Fire Engine Red
Class 8 – Flavoured Cheese
Cuore Blu Diavoletti
Olympus Halloumi
Puglia Chilli Pecorino
Class 9 – Goat's or Sheep's Milk Cheese
Berry's Creek Rowefords Blue
Meredith Marinated Feta
Woodside Monet
Dairy:
Class 10 – Natural Yogurt
Farmers Union Greek Style Natural Yogurt
Mundella Greek Natural Yoghurt
Coles Greek Yoghurt
Class 11 – Flavoured Yogurt
Maleny Gourmet Yoghurt Apple & Cinnamon
Gippsland Dairy Mango & Blood Orange Yogurt
Maleny Gourmet Yoghurt Passionfruit
Class 12 – Ice Cream
Gourmet Ice Cream White Chocolate, Salted
Caramel & Macadamia
Dooley's Premium Licorice Ice Cream
Dooley's Premium Honey Malt Ice Cream
Class 13 – Dairy Gelato
Caffe e Gelato Milany Pistachio Gelato
Sugo Mi Caramelised Fig & Ginger Gelato
Caffe e Gelato Milany Dark Chocolate Gelato
Class 15 – Milk
Alexandrina Pure Jersey Full Cream Milk
Pura Original Milk
Over the Moon Non Homogenised Jersey Milk
Class 16 – Specialty White Dairy Drink
Pauls Smarter White Milk
Pauls Zymil Low Fat Milk
Norco Hi Lo
Class 17 – Flavoured Dairy Beverage
Oak Egg Nog
Dare Iced Coffee Double Espresso
Dare Iced Coffee Double Espresso
Class 18 – Cream
Yea Brand Creme Fraiche
Tweedvale Pure Double Cream
Yea Brand Double Cream
Class 19 – Butter or Butter Blend
Tatura Salted Butter
Beautifully Butterfully Salted Butter
Beautifully Butterfully Unsalted Butter
Class 20 – Dairy Dip
Ultimate Dairies Fetta & Kalamata Olive Dip
Paradise Beach Purveyors Pesto Swirl Dip
Ultimate Dairies Labneh & Chive Dip