CHEESE made and manufactured in Tasmania has again taken the spotlight on the national stage with a gruyere cheese named best in the country.
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Heidi's Farm gruyere, made at The Heritage at Burnie, was named grand champion at the Australian Grand Dairy Awards at a ceremony in Melbourne on Wednesday night.
It's not the first time Heidi's Farm has been named grand champion; the company's tilsit cheese won the same category at the awards in 2013.
Head cheesemaker Ueli Berger was at the award ceremony and accepted it on behalf of the Heidi's Farm brand.
He said the win was a testament to the hard work put in by the team at The Heritage and also the amazing natural and raw product the farm and factory had to work with.
"You need very good grass-fed milk to start with [to make gruyere]," Mr Berger said.
"Not everywhere in the world can the cows be out in the paddocks all year-round with green pastures, although it might be different this year with the dry weather."
Switzerland-born Mr Berger said creating a perfect gruyere took time and passion "and a lot of love" as the cheese is matured for at least six months before being sold.
It is washed in a salt solution daily for six months and the three weeks leading up to sale that wash is put back three times a week.
To be eligible to participate in the Australian Grand Dairy Awards grand champion, each cheese has to have won a gold medal at any of the country's' "royal" shows.
Mr Berger said it meant that the gruyere's competitors truly were the best of the best but said he believed that they were all winners, to have each won a gold medal during the show circuit.
The Heritage is a speciality cheese facility owned and operated by Lion Dairy and Drinks.