GREEN BAY - Four cheesemakers from Green and Lafayette counties were among the Top 16 finalists at the United States Championship Cheese Contest in Green Bay this week.
Dave Buholzer of Klondike Cheese in Monroe was a finalist, earning honors in the Flavored Havarti class for his Dill Havarti.
In the Brick Muenster category, Walter Hartwig of Zimmerman Cheese in South Wayne won for his Muenster.
Team Edelweiss from Edelweiss Creamery in Monticello won for its Butterkase in the Open Soft category.
In the Surface Mold Goat category, Jim Donahue of Montechevre-Betin in Belmont, took honors for his Mini Cabrie.
More than 1,700 cheeses were entered in the biennial contest. Wisconsin cheesemakers earned the most gold medals, with 47 of the 81 categories judged. In second place were Vermont and New York, with six gold medals each.
Baby Swiss Style
- Neal Schwartz, Chalet Cheese Co-op, Monroe, Second Award, Baby Swiss wheel
Feta, Flavored
- Steve Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Best of Class, Mediterranean Herb Feta in Brine
- Adam Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Second Award, Tomato and Basil Feta in Brine
- Belmont Wis. team, Lactalis American Group, Belmont, Third Award, feta crumble tomato basil
Havarti
- Adam Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Best of Class, Havarti
- Ron Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Second Award, Havarti
- Decatur Dairy Cheeemakers, Decatur Dairy Inc., Brodhead, Third Award, Havarti
Havarti, Flavored
- Dave Buholzer, Klondike Cheese, Monroe, Best of Class, Dill Havarti
- Ron Bechtolt, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Second Award, Dill Havarti
Blue Veined Cheeses with Exterior Molding
- Chris Roelli, Roelli Cheese, Shullsburg, Best of Class, Red Rock
Blue Veined Cheeses
- Team Emmi Roth USA, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, Second Award, Roth Buttermilk Blue
Brick, Muenster
- Walter Hartwig, Zimmerman Cheese Inc., South Wayne, Best of Class, Muenster
- Matt Erdley, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Third Award, Brick
Brie, Camembert and Other Surface Ripened Cheeses
- Lactalis American Group, Belmont, Third Award, President
Hispanic Melting Cheeses(Queso Para Fundir)
- Valley View Cheese Team, Valley View Cheese Co-op, South Wayne, Third Award, Queso Quesadilla
Hard Hispanic Cheeses
- Team Emmi Roth USA, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, Best of Class, Roth GranQueso
- Team MCP, Mexican Cheese Producers, Darlington, Second Award. San Rafael Queso Cotija
- Team Emmi Roth USA, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, Third Award, Roth GranQueso Reserve
Smear Ripened Semi-Soft Cheeses
- Team Emmi Roth USA, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, Third Award, Roth Raclette
Pepper Flavored Cheeses - Other Natural Styles
- Matt Henze, Decatur Dairy Inc., Brodhead, Best of Class, Havarti Pepper
- Hansi Lehner Jr., Valley View Cheese Co-op, South Wayne, Second Award, Jalapeno Havarti
Flavored Semi-Soft Cheeses
- Team Emmi Roth USA, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, Best of Class, Roth Five Peppercorn Raclette
Open Class Semi-Soft Cheeses
- Team Edelweiss, Edelweiss Creamery, Monticello, Best of Class, Butterkase
- Valley View Cheese Team, Valley View Cheese Co-op, South Wayne, Third Award, Butterkase
Reduced Fat Soft and Semi-soft Cheeses
- Belmont Wis. team, Lactalis American Group, Belmont, Best of Class, Brie light
- Luke Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Second Award, Reduced Fat Feta in Brine
- Brewster Cheese, Stockton Cheese, Stockton, Ill., Third Award, Reduced Fat Swiss, 180 pound block
Lowfat Cheeses
- Adam Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Best of Class, Fat Free Feta in Brine
- Steve Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Third Award, Lowfat Feta in Brine
Reduced Sodium Cheeses
- Walter Hartwig, Zimmerman Cheese Inc., South Wayne, Best of Class, Reduced Sodium Muenster
- Chad Duhai, Zimmerman Cheese Inc., South Wayne, Third Award, Reduced Sodium Muenster
Flavored Soft Goat's Milk Cheeses
- Goat Production/Packaging Team, Kolb-Lena, Inc., Lena, Best of Class, Chavrie Sundried Tomato Goat Log
- Carol Cairy, Montchevre-Betin, Inc., Belmont, Third Award, Peppadew
Surface (Mold) Ripened Goat's Milk Cheeses
- Jim Donahue, Montchevre-Betin, Inc., Belmont, Best of Class, Mini Cabrie
Dave Buholzer of Klondike Cheese in Monroe was a finalist, earning honors in the Flavored Havarti class for his Dill Havarti.
In the Brick Muenster category, Walter Hartwig of Zimmerman Cheese in South Wayne won for his Muenster.
Team Edelweiss from Edelweiss Creamery in Monticello won for its Butterkase in the Open Soft category.
In the Surface Mold Goat category, Jim Donahue of Montechevre-Betin in Belmont, took honors for his Mini Cabrie.
More than 1,700 cheeses were entered in the biennial contest. Wisconsin cheesemakers earned the most gold medals, with 47 of the 81 categories judged. In second place were Vermont and New York, with six gold medals each.
Baby Swiss Style
- Neal Schwartz, Chalet Cheese Co-op, Monroe, Second Award, Baby Swiss wheel
Feta, Flavored
- Steve Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Best of Class, Mediterranean Herb Feta in Brine
- Adam Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Second Award, Tomato and Basil Feta in Brine
- Belmont Wis. team, Lactalis American Group, Belmont, Third Award, feta crumble tomato basil
Havarti
- Adam Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Best of Class, Havarti
- Ron Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Second Award, Havarti
- Decatur Dairy Cheeemakers, Decatur Dairy Inc., Brodhead, Third Award, Havarti
Havarti, Flavored
- Dave Buholzer, Klondike Cheese, Monroe, Best of Class, Dill Havarti
- Ron Bechtolt, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Second Award, Dill Havarti
Blue Veined Cheeses with Exterior Molding
- Chris Roelli, Roelli Cheese, Shullsburg, Best of Class, Red Rock
Blue Veined Cheeses
- Team Emmi Roth USA, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, Second Award, Roth Buttermilk Blue
Brick, Muenster
- Walter Hartwig, Zimmerman Cheese Inc., South Wayne, Best of Class, Muenster
- Matt Erdley, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Third Award, Brick
Brie, Camembert and Other Surface Ripened Cheeses
- Lactalis American Group, Belmont, Third Award, President
Hispanic Melting Cheeses(Queso Para Fundir)
- Valley View Cheese Team, Valley View Cheese Co-op, South Wayne, Third Award, Queso Quesadilla
Hard Hispanic Cheeses
- Team Emmi Roth USA, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, Best of Class, Roth GranQueso
- Team MCP, Mexican Cheese Producers, Darlington, Second Award. San Rafael Queso Cotija
- Team Emmi Roth USA, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, Third Award, Roth GranQueso Reserve
Smear Ripened Semi-Soft Cheeses
- Team Emmi Roth USA, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, Third Award, Roth Raclette
Pepper Flavored Cheeses - Other Natural Styles
- Matt Henze, Decatur Dairy Inc., Brodhead, Best of Class, Havarti Pepper
- Hansi Lehner Jr., Valley View Cheese Co-op, South Wayne, Second Award, Jalapeno Havarti
Flavored Semi-Soft Cheeses
- Team Emmi Roth USA, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, Best of Class, Roth Five Peppercorn Raclette
Open Class Semi-Soft Cheeses
- Team Edelweiss, Edelweiss Creamery, Monticello, Best of Class, Butterkase
- Valley View Cheese Team, Valley View Cheese Co-op, South Wayne, Third Award, Butterkase
Reduced Fat Soft and Semi-soft Cheeses
- Belmont Wis. team, Lactalis American Group, Belmont, Best of Class, Brie light
- Luke Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Second Award, Reduced Fat Feta in Brine
- Brewster Cheese, Stockton Cheese, Stockton, Ill., Third Award, Reduced Fat Swiss, 180 pound block
Lowfat Cheeses
- Adam Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Best of Class, Fat Free Feta in Brine
- Steve Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Third Award, Lowfat Feta in Brine
Reduced Sodium Cheeses
- Walter Hartwig, Zimmerman Cheese Inc., South Wayne, Best of Class, Reduced Sodium Muenster
- Chad Duhai, Zimmerman Cheese Inc., South Wayne, Third Award, Reduced Sodium Muenster
Flavored Soft Goat's Milk Cheeses
- Goat Production/Packaging Team, Kolb-Lena, Inc., Lena, Best of Class, Chavrie Sundried Tomato Goat Log
- Carol Cairy, Montchevre-Betin, Inc., Belmont, Third Award, Peppadew
Surface (Mold) Ripened Goat's Milk Cheeses
- Jim Donahue, Montchevre-Betin, Inc., Belmont, Best of Class, Mini Cabrie