‘Dairy state’ lives up to its name: Wisconsin wins most gold medals at 2023 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest

Story at a glance

  • The United States Championship Contest was held between Feb. 21–23 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
  • The most prestigious award of the national contest went to Europa, an aged gouda made by Arethusa Farm Dairy in , Connecticut.
  • Wisconsin took home 54 of the “Best of Class” finishes of the 113 total classes being judged — the most of any state. Cheesemakers in California followed behind with nine wins, and Idaho finished third with eight.

(WFRV) – The state of Wisconsin lived up to its “Dairy State” nickname on Thursday, earning more “Best of Class” designations than any other state during Contest.

But the most prestigious award of the national contest didn’t go to a from America’s Dairyland or even a neighboring state — but rather from a cheesemaker further northeast.

“And the winner is … Europa, an Aged Gouda made by Arethusa Farm Dairy in , Connecticut!” officials with the Cheese Contest wrote on Facebook. “Congratulations to Eric Schmid and the Arethusa team on earning the coveted title of U.S. Champion Cheese.”

The top-tier cheese was described as “heavenly” by judge Cathy Strange, who told the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association that the winning gouda had a unique complexity that leaves a “visceral memory on your tongue.”

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Cheeses from Wisconsin took second and third place: The first runner-up was a raw-milk American cheese variety from Team DACC in Egg Harbor, while the second runner-up was a medium cheddar from Dillon Sylla for of Blair.

Wisconsin also took home 54 of the “Best of Class” finishes of the 113 total classes being judged at the 2023 event — the most of any state. Cheesemakers in California followed behind with nine wins, and Idaho finished third with eight. (A full list…

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