Oamaru's Whitestone Cheeses judged up with world's best

Simon Berry.

Oamaru cheesemaker Whitestone Cheese Co can claim to produce some of the finest cheeses in the world after impressing judges at a prestigious overseas competition.

The company entered eight cheeses in the Wisconsin World Champion Cheese Contest, held in the United States between March 6 and 8, coming away with two top-five placings.

Whitestone's Ohau Goat's Blue claimed fourth place in the surface ripened goat's milk cheese category with a score of 99.7 out of a possible 100, just 0.1 points away from a bronze medal.

The company's Lindis Pass Camembert achieved fifth in the camembert category with a score of 98.85 points.

Its Windsor Blue finished sixth in the blue veined cheeses exterior moulding category with a total of 98.8 points.

Whitestone also entered its Farmhouse, Vintage Windsor Blue, Lindis Pass Brie, Shenley Station Blue and Kurow Chevre cheeses.

Whitestone's results at the Wisconsin contest came after it was named winner of the Cheese Lovers' Choice Trophy at the 2018 NZ Champions of Cheese Awards earlier this month.

Whitestone Cheese chief executive Simon Berry said the results were outstanding and showed the company could be considered among the world's top producers.

''We're thrilled. Just the overall results show the standard of cheeses we are producing in Oamaru.''

He was especially pleased with how Ohau Goat's Blue rated.

''It got the highest finishing result for us and was very close to a podium finish.''

Mr Berry said the quality of cheeses reflected the quality of grass being eaten by dairy cows and the milk they produced, which varied from season to season.

daniel.birchfield@odt.co.nz