ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Wisconsin may not have taken home a gold medal in the 2023 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest, but a Northeast Wisconsin cheese did snag silver.
After two days of competition, Europa (an aged gouda) from Connecticut topped the 2,249 entries.
In second was Vintage Cupola American Original Cheese made by Door Artisan Cheese Company in Egg Harbor for Red Barn Family Farms in Appleton.
Wisconsin also took home bronze — a medium cheddar made by Associated Milk Producers, Inc. in Blair was named second runner-up.
Click here for the full results list.
It was a tough competition, with just 0.126 points separating the top two. Out of 100, Europa scored 98.739 and Vintage Cupola 98.613. Third place wasn’t far behind either, with the cheddar scoring 98.554.
Of the 35 states represented in the competition, Wisconsin earned the highest number of gold medals. The dairy state had 54 Best of Class finishes.
The state with the second most was California with nine gold medals.
