By Susan Endres

sendres@themonroetimes.com

MADISON - Local cheesemakers raked in awards at the 2018 World Championship Cheese Contest held this week at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison.

The contest finished Thursday night with the announcement of the World Champion, which was a hard sheep's milk cheese called Esquirrou made in France at Mauleon Fromagerie by Michel Touyarou and imported by Savencia Cheese USA of New Holland, Pennsylvania. The company also owns Kolb-Lena Cheese Co. in Lena.

Beginning on Tuesday, judges evaluated 121 classes of dairy products from 26 nations. Twenty cheeses out of a record 3,402 entries were finalists for the top prize, including a cheddar made by Monroe's Maple Leaf Cheese.

Two years ago, a smear-ripened hard cheese called Grand Cru Surchoix made in Monroe by Emmi Roth USA won the biennial contest.

Below are the area cheesemakers who finished in the top three of their class in the 2018 contest, each listed under the class with the maker or team, company, location, score, award and description of the cheese.



CHEDDAR, AGED ONE TO TWO YEARS

♦ Maple Leaf Cheesemaking Team, Maple Leaf Cheesemakers Inc., Monroe, 99.20, Best of Class, English Hollow Cheddar



BABY SWISS STYLE

♦ Jamie Fahrney, Chalet Cheese Co-op, Monroe, 98.95, Third Award, 40-pound Block Baby Swiss



FETA

♦ Steve Webster, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, 99.05, Second Award, Odyssey Feta

♦ Adam Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, 98.90, Third Award, Odyssey Feta



FETA, FLAVORED

♦ Justin Lowery, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, 99.70, Second Award, Odyssey Tomato and Basil Feta



BRICK, MUENSTER

♦ Dave Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, 99.60, Best of Class, Brick

♦ Steve Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, 99.50, Second Award, Muenster



HAVARTI

♦ Team Edelweiss, Edelweiss Creamery LLC, Monticello, 99.65, Best of Class, Havarti

♦ Steve Stettler, Decatur Dairy Inc., Brodhead, 99.40, Second Award, Havarti

♦ Ron Bechtolt, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, 99.30, Third Award, Havarti



HAVARTI, FLAVORED

♦ Team Edelweiss, Edelweiss Creamery LLC, Monticello, 99.20, Second Award, Havarti Onion

♦ Steve Stettler, Decatur Dairy Inc., Brodhead, 98.95, Third Award, Havarti With Dill



SMOKED GOUDA

♦ Maple Leaf Cheesemaking Team, Maple Leaf Cheesemakers Inc., Monroe, 99.15, Third Award, Aged Smoked Gouda



BRIE

♦ Lactalis, Lactalis, Belmont, 99.55, Best of Class, 2-pound triple cream

♦ Lactalis, Lactalis, Belmont, 99.45, Second Award, 8-ounce brie

♦ Lactalis, Lactalis, Belmont, 99.40, Third Award, 2-pound brie



CAMEMBERT

♦ Lactalis, Lactalis, Belmont, 99.40, Second Award, 2-pound camembert



WASHED RIND/SMEAR RIPENED HARD CHEESES

♦ Team Emmi Roth, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, 99.40, Third Award, Roth Grand Cru Reserve Wheel



PEPPER FLAVORED MONTEREY JACK, MILD HEAT

♦ Maple Leaf Cheesemaking Team, Maple Leaf Cheesemakers Inc., Monroe, 99.55, Third Award, Twin Grove Chipotle Jack



OPEN CLASS: PEPPER FLAVORED CHEESES, MEDIUM HEAT

♦ Matt Erdley, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, 99.05, Second Award, Odyssey Sweet Heat Feta



OPEN CLASS: PEPPER FLAVORED CHEESES, HIGH HEAT

♦ Team Emmi Roth, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, 98.85, Best of Class Roth Chipotle Havarti Loaf



LATIN AMERICAN STYLE MELTING CHEESES

♦ Dan Reed, Chula Vista Cheese Co./V&V Supremo Foods, Browntown, 99.10, Best of Class, Oaxaca Cheese Ball

♦ Sam Sweeney, Chula Vista Cheese Co./V&V Supremo Foods Browntown, 98.90, Second Award, Oaxaca Cheese Ball

♦ Jeff Mattes, Chula Vista Cheese Co./V&V Supremo Foods, Browntown, 98.85, Third Award, Oaxaca Cheese Ball



LATIN AMERICAN STYLE HARD CHEESES

♦ Team Emmi Roth, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, 98.45, Third Award, Roth Original GranQueso Wheel



OPEN CLASS: SEMI-SOFT (SEMI-HARD) CHEESES

♦ Alpine Cheese team, Alpine Cheese/Valleyview, South Wayne, 99.20, Best of Class, Butterkase



OPEN CLASS: HARD CHEESES

♦ Team Emmi Roth, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, 97.70, Second Award, Roth Pavino Cheese Wheel



OPEN CLASS: SMOKED SOFT AND SEMI-SOFT (SEMI-HARD) CHEESES

♦ Maple Leaf Cheesemaking Team, Maple Leaf Cheesemakers Inc., Monroe, 99.45, Best of Class, Smoked Fontina



LOWFAT CHEESES

♦ Steve Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, 99.85, Best of Class, Odyssey Low Fat Feta

♦ Steve Webster, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, 99.70, Third Award, Odyssey Fat Free Feta



FLAVORED SOFT GOAT'S MILK CHEESES

♦ Team Foecking, Montchevre-Betin Inc., Belmont, 99.35, Second Award, 4 ounces Garlic and Herb Non-GMO

♦ Team Adams, Montchevre-Betin Inc., Belmont, 99.30, Third Award, Rondin Garlic and Herb



FLAVORED HIGH PROTEIN - COW'S MILK

♦ Adam Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, 99.60, Best of Class, Odyssey Greek Yogurt Peach

♦ Adam Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, 99.50, Second Award, Odyssey Greek Yogurt Vanilla

♦ Steve Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, 99.40, Third Award, Odyssey Greek Yogurt Low-fat Peach



OPEN CLASS SHREDDED CHEESE BLENDS, FLAVORED AND UNFLAVORED

♦ Jace Johnsrud, Chula Vista Cheese Co./V&V Supremo Foods, Browntown, 98.75, Third Award, Chihuahua/Oaxaca Blend



PREPARED CHEESE FOODS

♦ Team Brunkow, Brunkow Cheese, Darlington, 99.30, Third Award, Brun-uusto Baked Cheese Original



- The Associated Press contributed to this story.