A Tafí del Valle Cheese Wins Bronze in Uruguay
A cheese associated with Tafí del Valle in Argentina’s Tucumán province won a bronze medal at the 2026 edition of Uruguay’s National and International Cheese Competition. The award was given in the international category for semi-hard cheeses without eyes, a classification based on the product’s technical characteristics.
The cheese is made by Cultivos y Cosechas S.A. and sold under the Quesos M and Estancias Las Carreras labels. The awards ceremony took place at the Cultural Centre of Rosario, in Uruguay’s Colonia department, and was attended by representatives of the cheese sector from several Latin American countries.
A product linked to its territory
The cheese of Tafí del Valle has a Geographical Indication, or GI, linking it to its place of origin, production conditions and cheesemaking tradition in the Calchaquí Valleys. According to the Tucumán Tourism Autonomous Agency, it is the first dairy product in Argentina to receive a GI.
Geographical Indications are used to distinguish foods whose characteristics or reputation are connected with a specific origin. For cheese, that connection can cover the raw materials, environmental conditions and production practices passed between generations.
A regional cheesemaking tradition
The Tucumán tourism agency says records show cheesemaking activity in the Calchaquí Valleys dating back to 1716. The area now combines farming, food production and tourism, while the cheese forms part of the valley’s gastronomic offering.
The bronze medal was awarded within a defined technical class rather than across all entries in the competition. Cheese contests commonly separate products according to production technology, texture, maturation and other specified characteristics.
Participation by another Tucumán producer
Another Tucumán company, Tambo y Fábrica Señora Sofía, owned by Los Pirinchos S.R.L., also took part in the competition. The event reached its 20th edition in 2026 and brought together Uruguayan officials, diplomatic representatives and members of the Latin American cheese industry.
