Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Creamery earned top honors at the World Championship Cheese Contest this week, taking "Best in Class" forCoupolein the mold-ripened goat cheese category and second place forFresh Crottinin the soft goats' milk cheese category. The annual contest that garners global participation was heldMarch 6-8inMadison, Wisconsin. Overall, Vermont tied for second among states with six gold medals.
Cabot Creamery finished on top in two Cheddar categories and another for its Monterey Jack (see results below); andd Jasper Hill won again for its Harbison and its Willougby. Vermont cheeses finished on the podium 15 times.
- The Cabot Creamery Cooperative of Middlebury took home first place awards in the “Cheddar - Mild” and “Cheddar-Medium” category, and in the “Monterey Jack” category.
- Grafton Village Cheese of Brattleboro took home the second and third place awards in the “Natural Rinded Cheddar” category.
- Jasper Hill Farm of Greensboro took home a first-place in the “Soft Ripened Cheeses” category.
- Jasper Hill Farm and Von Trapp Farmstead, both of Greensboro, swept the top-three spots in the “Smear Ripened Soft Cheeses” category.
- Vermont Creamery of Websterville was awarded first place in the “Ripened Goats Milk Cheeses” category.
As a "Best in Class" winner, Coupole advanced to the World Championship round, and was the onlyVermontcheese to move into the final Top 20.
"It's such a thrill to see our cheeses recognized amongst the best in the world," saidJoey Conner, head cheesemaker, Vermont Creamery. "This honor is a testament to the hard work and unique know-how of our passionate cheesemaking team here inVermont."
"This distinction is incredible on many levels; introducing geotrichum rinded cheeses to the American market was no easy feat 17 years ago," saidAdeline Druart, president, Vermont Creamery. "We are elated to see the category grow in an industry that shows us that innovation in artisan cheesemaking is the key to growth."
This year, theWorld Championship Cheese Contestsaw a record 3,402 entries; cheesemakers from 32 American states and 26 nations entered cheeses into 121 classes of dairy products.
US cheesemakers dominated the competition, earning gold medals in 87 of the 121 contest classes.Switzerlandcame in second with nine golds, and cheesemakers inNetherlandsearned seven golds.
Jasper Hill's Harbison
Among American states,Wisconsindominated the competition with 47 gold medals. Idaho, New York, andVermonttied in the state rankings with six gold medals. Cheesemakers inNew Jersey earned four top spots.
The World Championship Cheese Contest, initiated in 1957, is the largest technical cheese, butter, and yogurt competition in the world. A team of 56 internationally-renowned judges technically evaluated all entries over the three-day competition held inMadison, Wisconsin.
For more information on the contest, as well as complete results for all entry classes and contest photos, visitwww.WorldChampionCheese.org.
Fifty-five expert judges including experienced cheese graders, buyers, dairy science professors and researchers from 15 American states and 20 countries evaluated the entries over two days.
This is the second World Championship Cheese Contest award for Fresh Crottin in two years; it won "Best in Class" in its category in 2016. Coupole is an American original named for its likeness to a snow-covered dome shape and is one of the Creamery's signature geotrichum rinded cheeses. Its allure is attributable to the intriguing contrast between the strong ripened flavor of the rind and the delicate fresh taste of its interior.
WORLD CHAMPS FROM FRANCE
A hard sheep's milk cheese called Esquirrou, made inFranceat Mauleon Fromagerie by Michel Touyarou and imported by Savencia CheeseUSAofNew Holland, Pennsylvania was named the 2018 World Champion Cheese.
Earning an impressive score of 98.376 out of 100, Esquirrou (pronounced ehs-keer-oo) bested a record-breaking 3,402 entries in the 2018 contest. Esquirrou is crafted in the Pyrénées region ofFrance, aged no less than 90 days, and features nutty notes and a toasted wheat aroma.
First runner-up in the contest, with a score of 98.267, is Arzberger Ursteirer, a hard cow's milk cheese aged in a silver mine made by Franz Moestl and Team of Almenland Stollenkäse in Austria. Mont Vully Bio, a raw milk cheese washed with Pinot Noir wine, made byEwald Schaferof Fromagerie Schafer inSwitzerlandearned the second runner-up position with a score of 98.256.
"We salute World Championship Cheese Contest winners for their innovation and commitment to excellence in their craft," saidJohn Umhoefer, Executive Director for the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, which hosts the biennial competition.
About Vermont Creamery
Consciously crafted inVermont'sgreen mountains, Vermont Creamery's line of fresh and aged goat cheeses, cultured butter, and crème fraîche have won over 100 national and international awards. In their 33rd year of business, Vermont Creamery supports a network of more than 17 family farms, promoting sustainable agriculture in the region. B Corp Certified in 2014, Vermont Creamery has been ranked one of "The Best Places to Work inVermont," byVermont Business Magazine.Vermont Creamery is an independently operated subsidiary ofMinnesota-based Land 'O Lakes, Inc., one of America's premier agribusiness and food companies. For more information, visitwww.vermontcreamery.com.
2018 World Championship Cheese Contest
1. CHEDDAR, 'MILD' (0-3 MONTHS)
United States
United States
Canada
2. CHEDDAR, 'MEDIUM' (3 TO 6 MONTHS)
United States
New Zealand
United States
3. CHEDDAR, 'SHARP' (6 MONTHS TO 1 YEAR)
Canada
United States
Canada
4. CHEDDAR, AGED ONE TO TWO YEARS
United States
United States
United States
5. CHEDDAR, AGED TWO YEARS OR LONGER
United States
United States
United States
6. TRADITIONAL WAXED CHEDDAR, MILD TO MEDIUM
United States
United States
United States
7. TRADITIONAL WAXED CHEDDAR, SHARP TO AGED
United States
United States
United States
8. BURRATA
United States
United States
United States
9. NATURAL RINDED CHEDDAR
United States
United States
United States
10. COLBY
United States
United States
United States
11. MONTEREY JACK
United States
United States
United States
12. MARBLED CURD CHEESE
United States
United States
United States
13. RINDED SWISS STYLE CHEESE
Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland
14. RINDLESS SWISS STYLE CHEESE
Switzerland
United States
United States
15. MOZZARELLA
United States
United States
United States
16. MOZZARELLA, PART SKIM
United States
United States
United States
17. PROVOLONE, MILD
United States
United States
United States
18. PROVOLONE, AGED
United States
United States
United States
19. PROVOLONE, SMOKED
United States
Canada
United States
20. RICOTTA
United States
United States
United States
21. PARMESAN
United States
United States
United States
22. ALCOHOL WASHED RIND/ SMEAR-RIPENED CHEESE
Switzerland
Switzerland
United States
23. FRESH ASIAGO
United States
United States
United States
24. AGED ASIAGO (OVER 6 MONTHS)
United States
United States
United States
25. BABY SWISS STYLE
Netherlands
United States
United States
26. FETA
United States
United States
United States
27. FETA, FLAVORED
Denmark
United States
United States
28. BRICK, MUENSTER
United States
United States
United States
29. HAVARTI
United States
United States
United States
30. HAVARTI, FLAVORED
United States
United States
United States
31. STRING CHEESE
United States
United States
United States
32. STRING CHEESE, FLAVORED
United States
United States
United States
33. COTTAGE CHEESE
United States
United States
United States
34. FRESH MOZZARELLA
United States
United States
United States
35. BLUE VEINED CHEESES, EXTERIOR MOLDING
Germany
United States
Denmark
36. BLUE VEINED CHEESES
United States
Denmark
Denmark
37. GORGONZOLA
United States
Italy
Denmark
38. EDAM
Netherlands
Netherlands
Netherlands
39. GOUDA, MILD
United States
United States
United States
40. GOUDA, AGED
Netherlands
Netherlands
United States
41. GOUDA, FLAVORED
United States
United States
United States
42. SMOKED GOUDA
United States
United States
United States
43. BRIE
United States
United States
United States
44. CAMEMBERT
Canada
United States
Canada
45. OPEN CLASS: SOFT RIPENED CHEESES
United States
Germany
Canada
46. OPEN CLASS: FLAVORED SOFT RIPENED CHEESES
United States
United States
Germany
47. GRUYERE
Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland
48. APPENZELLER
Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland
49. OPEN CLASS: ALPINE CHEESES
Switzerland
Switzerland
Germany
50. WASHED RIND/ SMEAR RIPENED SOFT CHEESES
United States
United States
United States
51. WASHED RIND/ SMEAR RIPENED SEMI-SOFT (SEMI-HARD) CHEESES
Austria
Austria
Austria
52. WASHED RIND/ SMEAR RIPENED HARD CHEESES
Austria
Switzerland
United States
53. PEPPER FLAVORED MONTEREY JACK, MILD HEAT
United States
United States
United States
54. PEPPER FLAVORED MONTEREY JACK, MEDIUM HEAT
United States
United States
United States
55. PEPPER FLAVORED MONTEREY JACK, HIGH HEAT
United States
Canada
United States
56. OPEN CLASS: PEPPER FLAVORED CHEESES, MILD HEAT
United States
United States
United States
57. OPEN CLASS: PEPPER FLAVORED CHEESES, MEDIUM HEAT
United States
United States
United States
58. OPEN CLASS: PEPPER FLAVORED CHEESES, HIGH HEAT
United States
United States
United States
59. LATIN AMERICAN STYLE FRESH CHEESES
United States
United States
United States
60. LATIN AMERICAN STYLE MELTING CHEESES
United States
United States
United States
61. LATIN AMERICAN STYLE HARD CHEESES
Mexico
United States
United States
62. PANEER
United States
United States
United States
63. OPEN CLASS: SOFT CHEESES
United States
United States
Denmark
64. OPEN CLASS: SEMI-SOFT (SEMI-HARD) CHEESES
United States
United States
United States
65. OPEN CLASS: HARD CHEESES
Switzerland
United States
United States
66. OPEN CLASS: HARD CHEESES WITH NATURAL RIND
United States
United States
Germany
67. OPEN CLASS: FLAVORED SOFT CHEESES
United States
United States
United States
68. OPEN CLASS: FLAVORED SEMI-SOFT (SEMI-HARD) CHEESES
Austria
United States
United States
69. OPEN CLASS: FLAVORED CHEESES WITH SWEET OR 'DESSERT' CONDIMENTS
United States
United States
United States
70. OPEN CLASS: FLAVORED HARD CHEESES
United States
United States
United States
71. OPEN CLASS: SMOKED SOFT & SEMI-SOFT (SEMI-HARD) CHEESES
United States
United States
United States
72. OPEN CLASS: SMOKED HARD CHEESES
United States
United States
United States
73. REDUCED FAT SOFT & SEMI-SOFT (SEMI-HARD) CHEESES
Netherlands
Netherlands
United States
74. REDUCED FAT HARD CHEESES
United States
Netherlands
Netherlands
75. LOWFAT CHEESES
United States
United States
United States
76. REDUCED SODIUM CHEESES
Italy
Netherlands
Netherlands
77. COLD PACK CHEESE, CHEESE FOOD
United States
United States
United States
78. COLD PACK CHEESE SPREAD
United States
United States
United States
79. SPREADABLE NATURAL CHEESES
United States
United States
United States
80. SPREADABLE NATURAL CHEESES, FLAVORED
United States
United States
United States
81. PASTEURIZED PROCESS CHEESES
United States
United States
United States
82. PASTEURIZED PROCESS CHEESES, FLAVORED
Netherlands
United States
United States
83. PASTEURIZED PROCESS CHEESE SLICES
United States
United States
United States
84. PASTEURIZED PROCESS CHEESE SPREAD
Denmark
Denmark
United States
85. SOFT GOAT'S MILK CHEESES
Canada
United States
United States
86. FLAVORED SOFT GOAT'S MILK CHEESES
United States
United States
United States
87. FLAVORED SOFT GOAT'S MILK CHEESES WITH SWEET CONDIMENTS
United States
United States
Canada
88. SURFACE (MOLD) RIPENED GOAT'S MILK CHEESES
United States
United States
United States
89. WASHED RIND/ SMEAR RIPENED GOAT'S MILK CHEESES
Switzerland
Austria
Austria
90. SEMI-SOFT (SEMI-HARD) GOAT'S MILK CHEESES
Netherlands
Netherlands
Netherlands
91. FLAVORED SEMI-SOFT (SEMI-HARD) GOAT'S MILK CHEESES
Spain
United States
United States
92. HARD GOAT'S MILK CHEESES
Netherlands
United States
Netherlands
93. SOFT SHEEP'S MILK CHEESES
United States
United States
Austria
94. SEMI-SOFT (SEMI-HARD) SHEEP'S MILK CHEESES
Switzerland
Austria
Greece
95. FLAVORED SOFT & SEMI-SOFT (SEMI-HARD) SHEEP'S MILK CHEESES
United States
United States
United States
96. SURFACE (MOLD) RIPENED SHEEP'S MILK CHEESES
United States
Spain
United States
97. HARD SHEEP'S MILK CHEESES (0-3 MONTHS)
France
Netherlands
United States
98. HARD SHEEP'S MILK CHEESES (3-9 MONTHS)
France
Italy
Spain
99. HARD SHEEP'S MILK CHEESES (9 MONTHS OR LONGER)
United States
Spain
Spain
100. SOFT & SEMI-SOFT (SEMI-HARD) MIXED MILK CHEESES
United States
Spain
United States
101. FLAVORED SOFT & SEMI-SOFT (SEMI-HARD) MIXED MILK CHEESES
Croatia
Spain
Croatia
102. SURFACE (MOLD) RIPENED MIXED MILK CHEESES
United States
United States
United States
103. HARD MIXED MILK CHEESES
United States
United States
United States
104. OPEN CLASS: ALL OTHER MILK CHEESES
United States
Italy
United States
105. SALTED BUTTER
Denmark
Denmark
United States
106. UNSALTED BUTTER
Finland
New Zealand
France
107. FLAVORED BUTTER
United States
United States
Canada
108. YOGURT- COW'S MILK
United States
United States
United States
109. FLAVORED YOGURT- COW'S MILK
United States
United States
United States
111. LOWFAT YOGURT- COW'S MILK
United States
United States
United States
112. HIGH PROTEIN YOGURT- COW'S MILK
United States
United States
United States
113. FLAVORED HIGH PROTEIN - COW'S MILK
United States
United States
United States
114. YOGURT - ALL OTHER MILKS
United States
United States
Spain
115. DRINKABLE CULTURED PRODUCTS - ALL FLAVORS/ALL MILKS
United States
United States
United States
116. OPEN CLASS SHREDDED CHEESE, FLAVORED & UNFLAVORED
United States
United States
United States
117. OPEN CLASS SHREDDED CHEESE BLENDS, FLAVORED & UNFLAVORED
United States
United States
United States
118. PREPARED CHEESE FOODS
United States
United States
United States
119. NATURAL SNACK CHEESE
United States
United States
United States
120. NATURAL SLICED CHEESE
United States
United States
United States
121. CHEESE BASED SPREADS
United States
United States
United States
SOURCE: WEBSTERVILLE, Vt.,March 9, 2018/PRNewswire/ -- Vermont Creamery www.vermontcreamery.com