The Making Of A World Champion Cheese

When it comes to artisanal, flavorful cheeses, European creameries have always reigned supreme. France, in particular, is considered the cheese capital of the world, and for good reason: There are anywhere from 350 to 1,000 cheeses in France alone, and in many cases, the craft behind each has been passed down for hundreds of years. The United States, despite some prodigious products out of Wisconsin and California, has always played second fiddle to Europe when it comes to great cheese.

But along with an emergent craft culture that has spawned thousands of quality American artisanal beers and wines, times are changing, albeit slowly. Evidence of this shift could be seen in Wisconsin cheesemaker Roth’s win at this year’s World Championship Cheese Contest, held in Madison, Wisconsin, in early March.

Roth’s Grand Cru Surchoix, a “washed-rind Alpine-style” smear-ripened hard cheese, took best in show out of a record 2,955 entries. Made in copper vats imported from Switzerland, the cheese is aged for at least nine months on wooden boards. Similar to Gruyère, Grand Cru is nutty with caramel and mushroom undertones, though its flavor character can vary slightly with each batch.

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