Spanish brand Quesos y Besos’ goat cheese Olavidia outperformed the softer, cottage-style French competitor from Fromagerie Berthaut, and won the Best Cheese in the World in 2021 on Wednesday (3).
The “World Cheese Prize” competition is promoted annually by the International Cheese Festival. The 33rd edition took place in Oviedo, Spain, where 4,000 cheeses from five continents were evaluated by 250 international judges.
According to “CNN”, Olavidia received 103 expert votes against 98 for French cheese, leading the contest until the last minute.
During the broadcast of the event, British judge Jason Hinds described it as a goat cheese with a “rich, enticing and creamy texture”.
“I just want to go to bed with him,” he joked. Silvia Pélez, the owner of a cheese factory in southern Spain, celebrates the title of her artisanal product. “Hard work pays off,” she said. According to the broadcaster, Quesos y Besos has six employees.
Among the evaluators were food scientists, cheese sellers, cooks and sommeliers who rated the look, smell, texture and taste of each serving.
Currently, OlaVidia has a waiting list on the brand’s website. A box containing 300 grams of the product costs 15 euros, which is approximately R$95.50.
The American blue cheese rogue River Blue had won the last edition of the 2019 event in Bergamo, Italy. In 2020, the competition was canceled due to COVID-19.
