World’s Top 20 Cheeses Announced; Champion to be Named Later Today
Out of 3,375 entries in the 2026 World Championship Cheese Contest, judges have now narrowed the field to just 20 finalists in the search for the next World Champion Cheese. The winner will be named today, Thursday, March 5, at 2:00 p.m. (CT) at WorldChampionCheese.org and on Facebook Live.
Class # : 7 - Natural Rinded Cheddar
Cheese: Flagship Reserve
Maker: Beecher's Handmade Cheese
Company: Beecher's Handmade Cheese
Location: Seattle, Washington, United States of America
Class #: 13 - Rinded Swiss Style
Cheese: Emmentaler AOP
Maker: Marcus Hengartner and Robin Straub, Village Dairy Rohremoos
Company: Gourmino AG
Location: Lömmenschwil, SG, Switzerland
Class #: 33 - Gorgonzola
Cheese: Mycella 60+
Maker: Team St. Clemens
Company: Bornsholms Andelsmejeri, St. Clemens
Location: Klemensker, Bornholm, Denmark
Class #: 37 - Brie
Cheese: Le Châtelain Brie
Maker: Fromagerie du Raival
Company: Lactalis American Group
Location: Raival, France
Class #: 42 - Gouda, Young
Cheese: FriesGoud Young
Maker: A-ware Cheese Heerenveen
Company: Royal A-ware
Location: Heerenveen, Netherlands
Class #: 43 - Gouda, Mature
Cheese: Rembrandt 26 Weeks
Maker: Team Lutjewinkel
Company: FrieslandCampina
Location: Lutjewinkel, Netherlands
Class #: 51 - Gruyere
Cheese: Gourmino Le Gruyère AOP
Maker: Michael Spycher, Mountain Dairy Fritzenhaus
Company: Gourmino AG
Location: Bern, Switzerland
Class #: 52 - Appenzeller, Young
Cheese: Mifroma Appenzeller Silver
Maker: Käserei Tschumper
Company: Mifroma USA
Location: Degersheim, Switzerland
Class #: 53 - Appenzeller, Aged
Cheese: Appenzeller® Purple Label
Maker: Lucas Meier, Käserei Kirchberg
Company: SO Appenzeller Käse GmbH
Location: Appenzell, Switzerland
Class #: 54 - Open Class: Alpine Cheeses
Cheese: Mifroma Alpenhorn
Maker: Urnäscher Milchspezialitäten
Company: Mifroma USA
Location: Urnäsch, Switzerland
Class #: 57 - Washed Rind/Smear Ripened Hard Cheeses, Aged
Cheese: Alter Fritz
Maker: Hardegger Käse AG
Company: Hardegger Käse AG
Location: Jonschwil, Switzerland
Class #: 58 - Washed Rind/Smear Ripened Hard Cheeses, Mature
Cheese: Suncatcher
Maker: Jasper Hill Creamery
Company: Cellars at Jasper Hill
Location: Greensboro, Vermont, United States of America
Class #: 59 - Washed Rind/Smear Ripened Hard Cheeses, Extra Aged
Cheese: Heumilch Traumkäse
Maker: Othmar Pichler and Team
Company: Obersteirische Molkerei eGen
Location: Knittelfeld, Austria
Class #: 60 - Raclette
Cheese: Gmunder Milk Traukirchner Raclette
Maker: Team Gmunder Molkerei
Company: Gmundner Molkerei GmbH
Location: Gmunden, Austria
Class #: 73 - Open Class: Hard Cheeses
Cheese: Beemster Royaal Grand Cru
Maker: CONO Kaasmakers
Company: CONO Kaasmakers
Location: Westbeemster, Netherlands
Class #: 81 - Reduced Fat Soft & Semi-soft Cheeses
Cheese: Beemsterlite Medium 30+
Maker: CONO Kaasmakers
Company: CONO Kaasmakers
Location: Westbeemster, Netherlands
Class #: 98 - Semi-soft (Semi-hard) Goat's Milk Cheeses
Cheese: Kaltbach Goat
Maker: Emmi Kaltbach
Company: Emmi Switzerland AG
Location: Kaltbach, Switzerland
Class #: 100 - Hard Goat's Milk Cheeses
Cheese: Midnight Moon
Maker: Cypress Grove
Company: Cypress Grove Cheese
Location: Netherlands
Class #: 106 - Hard Sheep's Milk Cheeses, Mature
Cheese: Ojos del Guadiana
Maker: Manchega Ojos del Guadiana
Company: Manchega Ojos del Guadiana
Location: Daimiel, Spain
Class #: 114 - Hard Mixed Milk Cheeses
Cheese: Seleccion Tostado Mixed Milk Cheese Extra Aged
Maker: Queserías Entrepinares S.A.U.
Company: Queserías Entrepinares
Location: Valladolid, Spain
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