World's Top 20 Cheeses Unveiled
Out of 3,302 entries in the 2024 World Championship Cheese Contest, judges have narrowed the field to just 20 finalists in the search for the next World Champion Cheese.
The winner will be named today, Thursday, March 7, at 2:00 p.m. (CT) at WorldChampionCheese.org and on Facebook Live. Join cheesemakers, volunteers, judges, and fans of great cheese worldwide in this live online event!
Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, proud host of the biennial competition, is pleased to announce the names and makers of the 20 cheeses in the running for the top prize. In order of class number, they are:
Class 7: Traditional Waxed Cheddar, Sharp to Aged
Cheese Name: Aged Cheddar Midget
Maker: Joshua Henning
Company: Henning's Cheese
Location: Kiel, Wisconsin
Class 8: Natural Rinded Cheddar
Cheese Name: Flagship Reserve
Maker: Beecher's Handmade Cheese, LLC
Company: Beecher's Handmade Cheese, LLC
Location: Seattle, Washington
Class 12: Baby Swiss Style
Cheese Name: Ziller Wheel
Maker: Team DV
Company: Guggisberg Cheese
Location: Millersburg, Ohio
Class 24: Parmesan
Cheese Name: Cello Artisan Copper Kettle Parmesan
Maker: Lake Country Dairy
Company: Schuman Cheese
Location: Turtle Lake, Wisconsin
Class 36: Open Class: Cheeses with Blue Molding
Cheese Name: St. Clemens Aged Blue Flowers
Maker: Team St. Clemens
Company: Bornholms Andelsmejeri
Location: Rønne, Bornholm, Denmark
Class 44: Gouda, Extra Aged (over 10 months)
Cheese Name: Artikaas Vintage Lot 18
Maker: Dutch Cheese Makers
Company: Dutch Cheese Makers
Location: Heerenveen, Friesland, Netherlands
Class 46: Gouda, Smoked
Cheese Name: Henri Willig Smokey Gouda
Maker: Kaasmakerij Henri Willig
Company: Kaasmakerij Henri Willig B.V.
Location: Heerenveen, Friesland, Netherlands
Class 51: Appenzeller, Young
Cheese Name: Appenzeller® Silver Label
Maker: Marcel Gabriel
Company: SO Appenzeller Käse GmbH
Location: Appenzell, Switzerland
Class 53: Open Class: Alpine Cheeses
Cheese Name: L'Etivaz AOP
Maker: François Raynaud
Company: Caves de L'Etivaz
Location: L'Etivaz, Château-d'Oex, Vaud, Switzerland
Class 54: Washed Rind/Smear Ripened Soft Cheeses
Cheese Name: Willoughby
Maker: Jasper Hill Creamery Team
Company: Cellars at Jasper Hill
Location: Greensboro, Vermont
Class 55: Washed Rind/Smear Ripened Semi-soft (Semi-hard) Cheeses, Young (less than 4 months)
Cheese Name: Heidi Farm Tilsit
Maker: Bruce Turner
Company: Saputo Dairy Australia
Location: Burnie, Tasmania, Australia
Class 56: Washed Rind/Smear Ripened Semi-soft (Semi-hard) Cheeses, Aged (over 4 months)
Cheese Name: Hornbacher
Maker: Michael Spycher
Company: Gourmino AG
Location: Fritzenhaus, Bern, Switzerland
Class 59: Raclette
Cheese Name: Oshamambe Raclette
Maker: Akihito Kawase
Company: Cheese Professional Association
Location: Oshamambe-cho, Ho, Japan
Class 60: Wine/Spirits Washed Rind/Smear Ripened Cheeses
Cheese Name: Goesser Bierkaese
Maker: Franz Moestl & Team
Company: Almenland Stollenkaese GmbH
Location: Arzberg, Austria
Class 74: Open Class: Hard Cheeses with Natural Rind
Cheese Name: St. Malachi Reserve
Maker: The Farm at Doe Run
Company: The Farm at Doe Run
Location: Coatesville, Pennsylvania
Class 99: Hard's Goat's Milk Cheeses, Flavored
Cheese Name: Henri Willig Smokey Goat
Maker: Kaasmakerij Henri Willig
Company: Kaasmakerij Henri Willig B.V.
Location: Heerenveen, Friesland, Netherlands
Class 104: Hard Sheep's Milk Cheeses, Mature (less than 6 months)
Cheese Name: Petit Agour
Maker: Agour
Company: Agour
Location: Helette, Basque Country, France
Class 108: Washed Rind/Smear Ripened Sheep's Milk Cheeses
Cheese Name: Arzberger Aurum
Maker: Franz Moestl & Team
Company: Almenland Stollenkaese GmbH
Location: Arzberg, Austria
Class 109: Sheep's Milk Cheeses, Flavored
Cheese Name: Petit Agour with Truffle
Maker: Agour
Company: Agour
Location: Helette, Basque Country, France
Class 114: Surface Ripened Mixed Milk Cheeses
Cheese Name: Batch #17
Maker: The Farm at Doe Run
Company: The Farm at Doe Run
Location: Coatesville, Pennsylvania
Complete results for all classes are available at WorldChampionCheese.org.