Rosie Cupitt, who is the Founder and owner of Cupitt’s Estate and Head Cheesemaker of the cheese-making department, was “thrilled” with the result. “We don’t regularly enter competitions, but RAS is one of such prestige we enjoyed taking part in it last year and decided to enter again. As artisan cheesemakers, is it great to receive feedback and see what we are doing in comparison to other cheesemakers in the country.”

Cupitt’s Estate picked up a total of 3 awards, 1 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze, in the competitive event, which receives entries from every State. Narrawilly (Gold) is a fresh lactic cheese with only a small amount of culture and reflects the quality of the milk we obtain from Milton Dairy Farmer Rob Miller. The dairy herd at Narrawilly Dairy includes Montbeliarde cows, whose milk is widely recognised as integral in cheese production, and the cows used to produce world-famous Comté Cheese from Arbois.

The Milton (Silver) was developed by cheesemaker Angel Wiliams at Cupitt’s Estate. This washed-rind cheese is inspired by Mahon, a Spanish cheese with a rind that is rubbed with paprika and olive oil.

Persian Fetta (Bronze) is a contemporary style fetta that is soft and flavoursome without a lot of salt and again reflects the quality milk.

On the reasons, Rosie Cupitt built the cheese-making facility at Cupitt’s Estate she explains “I became a cheesemaker because I love the artisan cheese that is such a culture in France and Italy, and so well respected by everyone in their countries. I wanted to create a go-to product that totally belonged to the South Coast and highlighted what the South Coast can produce.”