Wisconsin cheeses to compete for world’s best in Madison

MADISON — Wisconsin cheesemakers dominated the 2017 United States Championship Cheese Contest, sweeping the top three spots. Don’t expect similar results in the World Championship Cheese Contest here March 6 to 8. As you might suspect, when cheesemakers from around the globe weigh in, it gets considerably more difficult to grab the gold.

True, Emmi Roth USA’s Grand Cru Surchoix scored 98.88 out of 100 to claim the title during the last World Championship in 2016. But that was the first American-made cheese to top the biennial competition in 28 years. It marked the first time in the previous three competitions that an American cheesemaker even cracked the top three in the overall competition.

That’s not to say Wisconsin cheesemakers don’t fare well in the individual categories, including the expected, such as cheddar, Colby and string, as well as the less obvious brick, feta and Havarti, to mention a few.

Individual class winners, in this contest organized by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, are judged a second time to determine the overall winners.

The good news for cheese lovers is that some events (with cheese sampling) are open to the public, free or for a small fee.

Cheese fanatics can watch the judging from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 6 and 7 at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison. Or you could come just to try the free cheese samples.

You can see the cheese champion crowned during an event emceed by the Cheese Twins, Michael and Charlie Kalish, held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. March 8. Tickets cost $25 and include samples of 60 cheeses, foods from Underground Meats and Quince & Apple, and craft beer. Tickets are limited and can be purchased at