World’s Top 20 Cheeses Revealed

MADISON, WI – Out of 2,978 entries in the 2022 World Championship Cheese Contest, judges have narrowed the field to just 20 in the search for the 2022 World Champion.

The Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, proud host of the biennial competition, is pleased to announce the names and makers of the cheeses still in the running for the top prize. In order of class number, they are:

Class 4: Cheddar, Aged One to Two Years

Cheese Name: Aged Cheddar – One to Two Years

Maker: Kiel Production Team

Company: Land O Lakes, Inc.

Location: Kiel, Wisconsin, USA


Class 31: Feta, Flavored

Cheese Name: Odyssey Peppercorn Feta

Maker: Steve Webster

Company: Klondike Cheese Co.

Location: Monroe, Wisconsin, USA


Class 35: Gorgonzola

Cheese Name: BelGioioso CreamyGorg

Maker: Jeff Allen

Company: BelGioioso Cheese Inc.

Location: Denmark, Wisconsin, USA


Class 38: Open Class: Cheeses with Blue Molding

Cheese Name: Red Rock

Maker: Team Roelli

Company: Roelli Cheese Co., Inc.

Location: Shullsburg, Wisconsin, USA


Class 41: Gouda, Mature (4-10 months)

Cheese Name: Beemster Royaal

Maker: Lieke Kortekaas

Company: Beemster

Location: Westbeemster, Netherlands


Class 42: Gouda, Extra Aged (over 10 months)

Cheese Name: Roemer Sweet

Maker: Team Van der Heiden Kaas

Company: Van der Heiden Kaas B.V.

Location: Bodegraven, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands


Class 44: Gouda, Smoked

Cheese Name: Castello Smoked Cracked Pepper Gouda

Maker: Dave Newman

Company: Arla Foods

Location: Kaukauna, Wisconsin, USA


Class 52: Gruyere

Cheese Name: Gourmino Le Gruyère AOP

Maker: Michael Spycher, Mountain Dairy Fritzenhaus

Company: Gourmino AG

Location: Langnau i.E., Bern, Switzerland


Class 53: Appenzeller

Cheese Name: Appenzeller® Mild-Würzig

Maker: Hans Näf

Company: Käserei Niederbüren AG

Location: Niederbüren, Switzerland


Class 57: Washed Rind/Smear Ripened Semi-soft (Semi-hard), Aged Cheeses (over 4 months)

Cheese Name: Tête de Moine AOP

Maker: Fromages Spielhofer

Company: Fromages Spielhofer SA

Location: St-Imier, Bern, Switzerland


Class 58: Washed Rind/Smear Ripened Hard Cheeses, Mature (less than 9 months)

Cheese Name: Erzherzog Johann

Maker: Pichler Othmar and Team

Company: Obersteirische Molkerei eGen

Location: Knittelfeld, Steiermark, Austria


Class 59: Washed Rind/Smear Ripened Hard Cheeses, Extra Aged (over 9 months)

Cheese Name: Roth Grand Cru Surchoix

Maker: Team Emmi Roth – Monroe

Company: Emmi Roth

Location: Monroe, Wisconsin, USA


Class 60: Wine/Spirits Washed Rind/Smear Ripened Cheeses

Cheese Name: Mont Vully Réserve

Maker: Käserei Schafer AG

Company: Käserei Schafer AG

Location: Cressier FR, Fribourg, Switzerland


Class 68: Open Class: Semi-soft Cheeses

Cheese Name: Holland Master Cantenaar

Maker: Team Steenderen

Company: Royal FrieslandCampina

Location: Amersfoort, Netherlands


Class 69: Open Class: Hard Cheeses

Cheese Name: Beemster Royaal Grand Cru

Maker: Team Beemster

Company: Beemster

Location: Westbeemster, Netherlands


Class 73: Open Class: Semi-soft Cheeses, Flavored

Cheese Name: Point Reyes TomaTruffle

Maker: Kuba Hemmerling & Team

Company: Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company

Location: Petaluma, California, USA


Class 77: Reduced Fat Soft & Semi-soft Cheeses

Cheese Name: Vermeer

Maker: Team Steenderen

Company: Royal FrieslandCampina

Location: Amersfoort, Netherlands


Class 102: Hard Sheep’s Milk Cheeses, Extra Aged (over 6 months)

Cheese Name: Ocooch Reserve

Maker: Brenda Jensen

Company: Hidden Springs Creamery

Location: Westby, Wisconsin, USA


Class 104: Surface (Mold) Ripened Sheep’s Milk Cheeses

Cheese Name: Los Cameros Cured Sheep Cheese

Maker: Lácteos Martínez S.L.U.

Company: Lácteos Martínez S.L.U.

Location: Haro, La Rioja, Spain


Class 107: Soft & Semi-soft Mixed Milk Cheeses

Cheese Name: Nettle Meadow Kunik

Maker: Team Nettle Meadow

Company: Nettle Meadow

Location: Warrensburg, New York, USA


The World Championship Cheese Contest, initiated in 1957, is the largest technical cheese, butter, yogurt, and dry dairy ingredient competition in the world. For more information, including complete results for all entry classes, visit WorldChampionCheese.org.