In addition, the prizes for "Best Matured Cheese Blend", "Best Cheese Matured with Molds or Blue Cheese" and the Special Food Award of Spain for the Best Cheese 2019 have been presented.
Prizes that aim to promote and publicize the highest quality Spanish cheeses and organoleptic properties, as well as encourage producers to obtain quality cheeses. In this X edition, the cheese that has received the highest organoleptic score in the blind tasting carried out by the Panel of Tasters has been "Cremositos del Zújar", presented by Arteserena SL, of Campanario (Badajoz), and therefore has achieved the Special Food Award from Spain for the Best Cheese 2019; also achieving the award for Best Matured Sheep Cheese.
The awards granted by modalities are:
Modality "Matured cow cheese"
Prize: Lácteos Anzuxao S.L., from Lalín (Pontevedra), for the cheese "Pazo de Anzuxao", Protected Designation of Origin Tetilla.
Modality "Matured sheep cheese"
Prize: Arteserena S.L., from Campanario (Badajoz), for the "Cremositos del Zújar" cheese.
Modality "Matured goat cheese"
Prize: Esperanza del Castillo S.L., from Pulgar (Toledo), for the cheese "El Retamar de Cabra"
Modality "Matured Mix Cheese"
Prize: Lopicomo S.L., from Villamartín (Cádiz), for the "Pajarete" cheese
Modality "Matured cheese with molds or blue cheese"
Prize: Hacienda Zorita-Farm Foods S.L.U, of San Pelayo de Guareña (Salamanca), for the "Flor de Dehesa" cheese.
Wide participation
In this edition, 223 cheeses participated, the selection of which took place at the end of last October in the Agrifood Laboratory of Santander, under the Department. To choose the winners, the Ministry has had 24 experienced tasters from research centers, universities, administrations, associations of tasters, regulatory councils, producer associations, food distribution and media throughout the Spanish geography.
This Prize is part of the Food Strategy of Spain in which the Ministry is working to disseminate the excellence of our food products and channel synergies with sectors such as gastronomy, tourism, culture, sports, the environment Environment or health. All this, to publicize the quality and variety of our food inside and outside our borders, looking for food to become a cultural, economic and social engine.