MADISON (AP) — A gruyere from Switzerland has been named the world’s best cheese, chosen from a record number of entrants from 26 nations in the World Championship Cheese Contest in Wisconsin.
The cheese from Bern, Switzerland made its maker, Michael Spycher of Mountain Dairy Fritzenhaus, a two-time winner. Spycher also won in 2008.
Another product from Switzerland, a hard cheese made from cow’s milk called Gallus Grand CRU and made by Hardegger Kase AG, was runner-up Thursday, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
The contest is the largest technical cheese, butter and yogurt competition in the world and started Tuesday in Madison with a record 3,667 entries.
The 55 judges taste, sniff and inspect the 132 classes of dairy products during the biennial contest.
The judges include cheese graders, cheese buyers, dairy science professors, and researchers from 19 nations and 14 states.
The last time the competition was held in 2018, a hard sheep’s milk cheese called Esquirrou made in France at Mauleon Fromagerie won top honors. It is imported by Savencia Cheese USA.
One judge and 30 people from a Japanese university could not attend because the university didn’t allow international travel due to the new coronavirus, organizers said.
Three Wisconsin cheeses were finalists. A smoked gouda with cumin from Marieke Gouda of Thorp, a gorgonzola from Emmi Roth of Seymour and a cheddar from Maple Leaf Cheesemakers of Monroe all made the top 20.
Below are the area cheesemakers who finished top three in their class of the 2020 contest, each listed per class by maker, company, location, score, place and a description or title of the winning product.
Traditional Waxed Cheddar, Mild to Medium
● Maple Leaf Cheesemaking Team, Maple Leaf Cheesemakers Inc, Monroe, 99.35, Best of Class, English Hollow Cheddar
Traditional Waxed Cheddar, Sharp to Aged
● Maple Leaf Cheesemaking Team, Maple Leaf Cheesemakers Inc, Monroe, 99.75, Best of Class, English Hollow Cheddar
● Maple Leaf Cheesemaking Team, Maple Leaf Cheesemakers Inc, Monroe, 99.70, Second Award, English Hollow Cheddar
● Chris Roelli, Roelli Cheese Co, Shullsburg, 99.35, Third Award, Roelli Haus Select Cheddar
Rindless Swiss Style
● Neal Schwartz, Chalet Cheese Co-op/Deppeler, Monroe, 98.60, Best of Class, Full Cream Rindless Swiss
String Cheese
● Nick Siedschlag, Chula Vista Cheese Co/V&V Supremo Foods, Browntown, 99.30, Best of Class, Mexican String Cheese
● Mark Boelk, Chula Vista Cheese Co/V&V Supremo Foods, Browntown, 98.95, Third Award, Mexican String Cheese
Feta, Flavored
● Steve Webster, Klondike Cheese Co, Monroe, 98.85, Best of Class, Odyssey Peppercorn Feta
Brick & Muenster
● Decatur Cheesemakers, Decatur Dairy Inc, Brodhead, 99.55, Second Award, Brick
● Dave Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co, Monroe, 99.30, Third Award, Buholzer Brothers Brick
Havarti
● Ron Bechtolt, Klondike Cheese Co, Monroe, 98.65, Second Award, Buholzer Brothers Havarti
Havarti, Flavored
● Ben Workman, Edelweiss, Monticello, 99.25, Best of Class, Dill Havarti
● Ron Bechtolt, Klondike Cheese Co, Monroe, 99.20, Second Award, Buholzer Brothers Dill Havarti
● Luke Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co, Monroe, 99.10, Third Award, Buholzer Brothers Dill Havarti
Latin American Style Fresh Cheeses
● Team W&W Dairy, W&W Dairy, LLC, Monroe, 99.60, Second Award, Queso Fresco
Latin American Style Hard Cheeses
● Sigma Darlington plant, Sigma Foods Darlington plant, Darlington, 99.30, Best of Class, Queso Cotija
Washed Rind/Smear Ripened Soft Cheeses
● Team Emmi Roth, Emmi Roth, Monroe, 99.75, Second Award, Roth Monroe Cheese
High Protein Yogurt – Cow’s Milk
● Adam Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co, Monroe, 99.75 Second Award, Odyssey Greek Yogurt 3.5 percent
● Steve Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co, Monroe, 99.70, Third Award, Odyssey Greek Yogurt
High Protein Yogurt – Cow’s Milk, Flavored
● Dave Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co, Monroe, 99.80, Second Award, Odyssey Greek Yogurt Lowfat Vanilla
● Adam Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co, Monroe, 99.75, Third Award, Odyssey 3 percent Greek Yogurt Vanilla
Open Class: Shredded Cheeses, Flavored & Unflavored
● Zach Hagen, Chula Vista Cheese Co/V&V Supremo Foods, Browntown, 98.80, Best of Class, Chihuahua Cheese Shred
● Molly Meyer, Chula Vista Cheese Co/V&V Supremo Foods, Browntown, 98.70, Third Award, Chihuahua Cheese Shred
Open Class: Shredded Cheese Blends, Flavored & Unflavored
● Dan Reed, Chula Vista Cheese Co/V&V Supremo Foods, Browntown, 99.75, Best of Class, Chihuahua/Oaxaca Blend