A brand new regeneratively farmed Red Leicester has won Gold at the Virtual Cheese Awards, coming top of its Class during a live online judging session. Launched earlier this month by Golden Hooves, the Red Leicester impressed a panel made up of the UK’s most respected cheese experts, and was joined by Golden Hooves’ Mature Cheddar and Vintage Cheddar, which both picked up silver gongs in their respective classes.
Daring cheese lovers to think differently about dairy, Golden Hooves makes all of its cheese from 100% regeneratively farmed milk. In celebration of the co-op’s farmers, this is a Red Leicester that stays true to its origins and is matured slowly for a minimum of 6-8 months. With a deep russet colouring and medium to firm body, the cheese carries a slightly nutty and oaky flavour, accompanied by a distinct citrus back note.
Scoring impressively across criteria including appearance, aroma, texture and taste, Golden Hooves Red Leicester was praised for its ‘beautiful colour’ by Virtual Cheese Awards judge, Nicola Beardmore, who went onto note the cheese’s sweet, almost lactic aroma’ and ‘buttery texture, with a good mouthfeel.’ On tasting, Nicola described the Red Leicester as ‘Really creamy and buttery, with a little bit of sweetness underneath that lifts the savoury notes’, as the panel awarded a gold rating.
Said Leona McDonald, director, Golden Hooves: “The Golden Hooves team is buzzing after these wins at the Virtual Cheese Awards and we’re so proud of our Red Leicester, which was only introduced to the world a few weeks ago! As we continue in our mission to get people to be more daring with their dairy choices, these awards will help to turn heads and get more regenerative cheese into toasties, on cheeseboards and on top of pasta. For many of us, cheese is the best thing on the planet. Let’s choose one that looks after the planet too.”
Part of British farmer-owned dairy co-operative, First Milk, Golden Hooves uses grazing cows to work the land with their hooves. Golden Hooves farms are taking steps to continually encourage plant and wildlife biodiversity, protect the soil and maintain living roots, a process which is believed to remove carbon from the atmosphere and sequester it into the soil. Part of First Milk’s commitment to continual improvement, these activities are supported by extensive research to measure the impact that these initiatives are having on the soil. For more visit goldenhooves.co.uk
