A panel of 69 specialists from different countries is meeting these days in Tordesillas (Valladolid) to select the best cheeses for the Cincho Awards 2026. This edition features 1,300 entries from 18 countries, within the twelfth national and sixth international call for this competition promoted by the Junta de Castilla y León.
The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development, María González Corral, attended the tasting sessions this Wednesday —which began yesterday and will continue until tomorrow—, where she emphasized that the Cincho Awards have been consolidated "as one of the major international references in the cheese sector," as they contribute "to opening new commercial opportunities for participating cheese dairies."
Of the samples registered in 2026, 349 belong to Castilla y León, which once again ranks as the community with the largest presence in the event. Regarding international participation, Poland leads the international representation with 88 cheeses in competition.
For three days, judges, arriving from eleven countries, evaluate the cheeses through completely blind tastings. Each piece is presented only with a numerical code and the evaluations are entered into a computer application created specifically for the competition, which ensures the confidentiality, objectivity, and traceability of the evaluation process.
The awards will distinguish the best cheeses (Golden and Silver Cinchos) in each of the 43 categories, defined by their presentation (fresh, soft, semi-hard or hard paste, blue, and spreadable) and by their characteristics (animal species producing the milk, heat treatment, type of coagulation, or degree of maturation). To be eligible for these awards, a minimum score of 80 points will be required.
In addition, the entries with the highest scores will advance to a semifinal phase and subsequently to a final, from which the three Grand Golden Cinchos, the highest recognitions of the event, will emerge. Based on the best scores obtained, special awards will also be given for the Best Organic Cheese, the Best Sheep Cheese in Spain, and the Best Artisan Cheese from Castilla y León.
Special recognitions for the sector
Within the framework of the Cincho Awards, and in parallel to the competition, the Honor Cinchos are also awarded, which "serve to recognize individuals or entities that have contributed significantly to boosting the cheese sector of the Community," as the councilor has stated.
In this edition, the jury has decided to grant the "Special Mention" to Rubén Valbuena, from Granja Cantagrullas; the recognition for "Professional Career" to Alonso Santos de Pedro, founder of Quesería "La Faya"; and the "International Projection" award to the International School of Dairy Industries (EILZA).
Likewise, the award for "Milk Quality" is decided, a specific recognition aimed at farmers "as recognition of their indispensable work for the production of quality cheeses," as González Corral has expressed.
On this occasion, the award has gone to the SEJA S.C.P. farms, from Papatrigo (Ávila) in the cow's milk category; Guzmán TCEA, from Madridanos (Zamora) in sheep's milk; and FPD Agro Gen, S.L., from Tordomar (Burgos) in goat's milk. All dairy farms that carry out their quality self-controls at the Interprofessional Dairy Laboratory of Castilla y León (LILCYL), where physical-chemical parameters (percentage of fat and protein) and various hygienic-sanitary quality indicators (microbiological and somatic cell counts) are analyzed, can opt for these recognitions.
The awards ceremony for the Cincho Awards 2026 will be held, as in the previous call, within the framework of Fromago Cheese Experience 2026, which is scheduled to take place between September 17 and 20 in Zamora. The objective is to reinforce "the international projection of the cheese sector of Castilla y León and consolidate the Zamora event as one of the great cheese showcases worldwide," the councilor has emphasized.
Promoted by the Junta since the year 2000, the Cincho Awards were born with the aim of recognizing the excellence of cheese productions and supporting the strengthening of the dairy and cheese sector of the Community. "These awards are a tool for promoting the sector and help us project the image of Castilla y León as an international reference for cheese," González Corral concluded.
Castilla y León remains the main autonomous community producing cheese in Spain, with close to a third of the national volume, a leadership linked to the weight of its livestock herd. The Community ranks first in sheep's milk production, with 52 percent of the total, second in cow's milk, with 12.3 percent, and sixth in goat's milk, with 6.2 percent.
Likewise, Castilla y León is the region that exports the most cheese, with 47,289 tons and a value exceeding 235 million euros in 2025, representing 27 percent of Spanish foreign sales. Italy, France, Portugal, and the United Kingdom are among the main destination markets.
The cheese sector of Castilla y León also has six differentiated quality certifications linked to cheese: the PDO Queso Zamorano; the PGI Queso de Burgos, Queso de Valdeón, Queso Castellano, and Queso de Los Beyos; and the Guarantee Mark Queso Arribes de Salamanca.