CHEESED OFF If that block of cheese you’ve been developing is just too delicious to keep under wraps, you are unfortunately too late to enter the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association’s annual Champions of Cheese Awards this year. Entries into the 15-year-old awards closed on January 19, with judging taking place on February 24 and winners announced at a gala cocktail award evening in Auckland. Association chair Miel Myers says a new farmhouse cheese category will recognise those who produce milk and make their own cheese onsite. “We have changed the format of the awards from a formal dinner to a gala cocktail event to allow cheesemakers and our award sponsors more opportunities to network and catch up.” Other changes include the dropping of the butter and yoghurt categories, and Myers says Australian master judge Russell Smith will oversee a judging panel consisting of association life member Ross McCullum and American cheese specialist Lassa Skinner for the final year. GLASSY QUALITY A special glass considered one of the best in the world will be used by judges at the 2018 New Zealand Organic Wine Awards. The award organisers have signed a multi-year agreement with Riedel, the wine glass company, to exclusively provide its overture magnum glasses to judges in each category. The company will also provide decanter trophies for winners, rewarding wineries with a trophy to display at the cellar door. “This partnership represents the growing maturity of the wine awards as we prepare to launch our fifth annual awards, allowing us to grow whilst retaining our independence and stance on organic wine,” awards organiser Luke Thomas says. “We hope to be able to announce another strategic partnership in early 2018 which will allow us the opportunity to conduct tasting evenings in order to further promote medal winning organic wine throughout New Zealand.” The 2018 NZ Organic Wine Awards will launch in early March 2018, with judging and results published in May. www. organicwineawards.co.nz 34 DRINKtech NEW ZEALAND FEBRUARY 2018 34 FEBRUARY 2018 BRING CLIMATE COMMISSION ON Fonterra’s director of sustainability Carolyn Mortland says the co-operative is committed to engaging with the Government on the development of a robust Zero Carbon Act, which represents the interests of all stakeholders. “Climate change is an important issue for all Kiwis and we support the Government’s efforts to transition New Zealand to a low carbon economy. Just last month we announced our own target of achieving net zero emissions from our manufacturing operations by 2050. It’s vital the Government adopts an evidencebased approach to developing any new policy to address agricultural emissions.” The introduction of new climate change legislation is an ambitious step, and should be done in a way that considers the impact on New Zealand communities, Mortland says. As one of the members of the Biological Emissions Reference Group - alongside the likes of Federated Farmers, the Ministry for Primary Industries and the Ministry for the Environment – Fonterra will “welcome the opportunity to share our insights.”
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