Jasper Hill Farm’s ‘Winnimere’ Named Best of Show at 2026 American Cheese Society Competition
July 9, 2026 | 2 min to read
LOUISVILLE, KY – ‘Winnimere’ from Jasper Hill Farm of Greensboro, Vermont, was named 1st Place ‘Best of Show’ among more than 1,600 entries at the American Cheese Society’s (ACS) 2026 Judging & Competition. The results were announced tonight during the awards ceremony at the ‘Stitched Together by Cheese’ Annual Conference at the Kentucky International Convention Center. Jasper Hill Farm won five awards at this year’s competition, including four first-place finishes, one third-place finish, and Best of Show.
Winnimere is a bark-wrapped, washed-rind style cheese crafted from raw winter cow’s milk and wrapped in spruce bark strips. It is aged to a spoonably soft texture with a rich, woodsy flavor profile.
Second Place Best of Show went to ‘Artze’, a sheep’s milk cheese featuring Piment d’Espelette from Blakesville Creamery in Port Washington, Wisconsin. Third Place Best of Show was awarded to ‘Nati Gouda’ from Urban Stead Cheese in Cincinnati, Ohio. Made from Jersey cow’s milk and aged 16 to 20 months, this natural-rind Gouda is crafted in an old-world style that develops a full flavor and crystallized texture.
This year’s competition featured more than 1,600 entries from over 200 creameries across the Americas. In total, 438 awards were handed out to celebrate this year’s exceptional craftsmanship, including 136 first-place, 146 second-place, and 156 third-place medals.
The quality of cheeses submitted this year was remarkable,” said Kari Skibbie, Chair of the American Cheese Society’s Judging & Competition Committee. “Tonight’s celebration recognized the cheesemakers whose commitment to excellence and continuous improvement sets a high standard for the industry.”
Judges evaluated the entries from May 18–22, 2026, at Huntington Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis. The annual contest has grown from just 89 entries in its first year to more than 1,600 submissions this year.
View the full list of the 2026 Judging & Competition winners here.
About American Cheese Society
ACS is the leading organization supporting the understanding, appreciation, and promotion of artisan, farmstead, and specialty cheeses produced in the Americas. At 2,300 members strong, ACS provides advocacy, education, business development, and networking opportunities for cheesemakers, retailers, enthusiasts, and the extended industry. ACS strives to continually raise the quality and availability of cheese in the Americas. Since its founding in 1983, ACS has proudly hosted the foremost annual educational conference and world-renowned cheese judging and competition in North America. ACS is a 501(c)6 nonprofit association headquartered in Denver, CO.