The farm's cheese-making is mostly by hand

Gorwydd Caerphilly is made by the Trethowans at their family farm just outside the village of Llanddewi Brefi, in Ceredigion.

More than 100 judges tasted more than 200 entries from the cream of the cheese-making world.

Cheese-maker Todd Trethowan said: "We hope it is a reflection of all the hard work we are doing at the farm."

He added that quality of his product was also highly dependent on the unpasteurised milk from a Lampeter farm which the family used.

"You cannot make good cheese without really good milk," he said.

Mr Trethowan, an experienced cheese maker, first started cheese making on his parents' farm in 1996.

He was then joined by his brother, former archaeologist Maugan, and Maugan's wife Kim who conduct the cheese making along with five part-time staff.

Mr Trethowan said the local milk combined with the two-month maturation process, which allows a natural rind to develop to seal in the flavours, are what give the cheese its creamy, tangy taste.

Five months ago, Gorwydd took top honours at the True Taste/Gwir Flas Wales Food and Drink Awards run by the Welsh Development Agency-managed.

Supermarket deal

Arwyn Davies, WDA Agri Food Director, said: "Awards like this confirm that Wales is home to some of the best quality products around.

"Fresh, crumbly and lemony" are just some of the words the True Taste judges used to describe Gorwydd Caerphilly.

This week it was announced that Cheeses From Wales, a marketing co-operative launched in 2003 to promote the Welsh cheese products, will be supplying Waitrose supermarkets across the UK.

The Gorwydd will also be supplied to Fortnum & Mason, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges.