Brie-xit Means Brie-xit: French win cheese of the year after British entries get held up at the border due to EU import regulations

A French cheese has been crowned the best cheese in the world after British entries were held up at the border due to EU import regulations.It's the first time the World Cheese Awards winner has gone across the Channel in 15 years, being awarded to the 24-month-aged French Comté.It beat a record-breaking 5,330 other cheeses from 45 countries and six continents, but there were notable British contenders missing from the competition.Of the UK cheeses that did make it on time, none made it to the final round of 14 either. It was a major upset at the world's largest cheese-only competition held in Córdoba, in Spain's Andalusia region, now in its 38th year.Instead, finalists were dominated by traditional cheese-producing nations. Switzerland and Italy had four cheeses in the top 14, Spain three and France two.John Farrand, the managing director of Guild of Fine Food, which organises the event, said that he wanted to judge the British cheeses when they did finally arrive over the coming days. A French Comté has been crowned the best cheese in the world, beating a record 5,330 entrants from 45 countries A French Comté has been crowned the best cheese in the world, beating a record 5,330 entrants from 45 countriesMr Farrand told the Telegraph: 'No-shows on the judging table were clearly evident today, and we know there have been issues with some of the British cheese entries in World Cheese Awards this year.'He added: 'The well-documented challenges of exporting into the EU and, in particular, Spain have been compounded this week by strike disruption across the country. We will know more over the next 24 hours.'The last British cheese to win was Cornish Kern by Lynher Dairies Cheese Company in 2017.Since the competition's conception, British cheeses have come out on top 11 times, while French only 8, one of which was a tie in 2001. But this year's French camp was filled with jubilation over the victorious 24-month-old Comté PDO Forte des Rousses, produced by Juraflore.The man behind the cheese, Jean-Charles Arnaud is the third generation in his family to make and mature cheeses across dozens of traditional 'fruitières' in natural caves, and has now been joined by his son Franck Arnaud at Fromageries Arnaud.He said: 'We're very proud, for the milk producers, for the cheesemakers, for the affineurs, for everybody - for the whole company.'It's a real family affair; we're from the mountains in the Jura and make the four AOP cheeses Comté, Morbier, Mont d'Or, Bleu de Gex du Jura, but specialise in quality, long-maturing cheeses in an emblematic area, The Fort des Rousses.'It was a very tense final too, as the 5,330 entrants were whittled down to just 14 by the 270 expert cheese judges from 51 countries in blind tasting sessions.These were then assessed for a second time by a super jury of experts.It was a tense finale with three cheeses tied on a score of 81 - the 24-month-old Comté, an 18-month Le Gruyère AOP from Gourmino in Switzerland and an Ossau Iraty AOP made by Agour in France.The organisers had to use a rarely deployed tiebreak protocol to break the deadlock by subtracting each cheese's lowest and highest score from each member of the panel.Judge Rafa Dominguez Gonzalez, who championed the winning Comté, said: 'What I liked about this cheese was the complexity. It evolves in the mouth. Those beautiful, nutty savoury flavours really left a mark on me.'Sometimes you just know. The moment I tried this one, I said straight away, "This is my choice."'The cheeses entered were made from different milk types, including buffalo, cow, goat, sheep, donkey and camel, and the event is recognised as the world's largest cheese competition.But it was not all doom and gloom for Britain, as alongside the Cheese of the Year award, there was also a Young Cheesemonger of the Year competition, which was won by Molly Powell from London's Neal's Yard Dairy.She secured a place on the Academy of Cheese's Level 2 course and will be invited to join the judging panel at the World Cheese Awards in 2027. World Cheese Awards 2026 top 14 cheeses Comté PDO Fort des Rousses, 24 Months, Fromageries Arnaud, FranceOssau-Iraty from Agour, FranceLe Gruyère AOP Réserve, Village Dairy Rossens, Gourmino, SwitzerlandErborinato di Capra, Latteria Sociale di Cameri, ItalyQueijo de Ovelha Curado, SoalheirAlves, Joaquim António Duarte Alves & Filhos, PortugalCurado Fuente La Sierra, Queseria Fuente La Sierra, SpainKaltbach Appenzeller, Emmi Group, SwitzerlandRiserva del Fondatore Special Edition, Caseificio II Fiorino, ItalyStärnächäs Extra 10, Affineur Walo, Mühlenen, SwitzerlandTomme Agnès, Gourmino, SwitzerlandQueso Curado de Cabra con Flores Comestibles, Queronsa, SpainParmigiano Reggiano DOP 30 months, Consorizio Gourm.it, ItalyQueso de Oveja VIejo El Roble de Campollano, Food Manchegos, SpainBlu Notte – La Fossa dell’Abbondanza, Italian Food Hunters Artisanal National Cheese Team, Italy