While no Wisconsin cheesemakers made it to the top three in the World Championship Cheese Contests, numerous won subcategory awards.
The top honor went to CONO Kaasmakers for its Beemster Royaal Grand Cru from the Netherlands. From Switzerland, Lucas Meier, 5088 – Käserei Kirchberg won first runner up for its Appenzeller Purple Label, and fellow Swiss cheesemaker Hardegger Käse AG won second runner up for its Alter Fritz cheese.
As far as Wisconsin goes, makers like V&V Supremo Foods won six medals, including two Best of Class honors, which recognizes excellence in craftsmanship, flavor, texture and quality among thousands of cheeses evaluated by expert judges from around the globe.
“Our team takes tremendous pride in producing authentic cheeses that truly honor our Mexican heritage while meeting the highest standards of quality,” Gilberto Villaseñor, chief visionary officer of V&V Supremo, said in a statement. “Receiving recognition at the World Championship Cheese Contest is a meaningful validation of the dedication and expertise of everyone at V&V Supremo.”
Agropur Weyauwega won first in the cheddar 1 to 2 Year aged category, and was third and fifth in the cheddar, 3-6 month category.
Kiel cheesemakers won first, third and fifth in cheddar aged two years or longer. In traditional waxed cheddar, Wisconsin swept up nine of the first 10 spots, with Deer Creek winning top spot and third.
And as far as gouda goes, pronounced “how-da,” Thorp’s Marieke Gouda placed in multiple spots but took first in second in flavored gouda with Marieke Gouda Honey Clover, and Marieke Gouda Cumin, respectively. It also placed eight more cheeses in the category.
It also took home a second-place finish in the smoked gouda category.
In the Open Class Cheese Curd category, Wisconsin won 19 of the 23 spots, taking the top 17. The state also dominated the flavored cheese curds.
Of the 28 awards in the category, Wisconsin took 25, and the first 20.
A full list of results can be found online.
