MONROE, Wis. — Three cheeses crafted by Emmi Roth USA took home top honors, including two Best of Class awards, at the 2014 World Championship Cheese Contest in Madison, Wis. In addition, five cheeses from Switzerland that grace the shelves of Emmi’s curing cellars received top awards.
The World Championship Cheese Contest is the largest international cheese and butter competition in the world. An international panel of 50 expert cheese judges gathered for two days, carefully examining more than 2,615 cheeses from 22 countries.
Roth® cheeses, crafted in Monroe, Wis., fared extremely well in the competition:
- Roth® Buttermilk Blue® was named Best of Class in the highly competitive Blue Veined Cheese category. Aged for more than two months and crafted with milk from Holstein and Jersey cows, Buttermilk Blue has a classic tangy, yet mellow flavor.
- Roth® GranQueso®, a Roth Original, inspired by Spanish cheese, won Best of Class in the Hard Hispanic Cheese category. Cellar aged for six to eight months, this much lauded cheese has a distinct bite and sweet finish with hints of citrus, spice and hazelnut.
- Roth® GranQueso® Reserve, which ages more than 15 months to achieve a dense texture and sweet flavors such as candied pineapple and browned butter, took second place in the Hard Hispanic Cheese category.
- Five cheeses that are cured and distributed by Emmi in Switzerland and are offered by Emmi Roth USA to the domestic market took home top awards:
- Engadina Forte, made by Alex Nietlispach in Bever, Switzerland, won Best of Class in the Open Class Semi-soft (Semi-hard) Cheese category.
- Appenzeller Käse, made by Godi Thönen in Wängi, Switzerland, secured second place in the Appenzeller Cheese category.
- Tête de Moine AOP, made by Christian Kälin in Le Noirmont, Switzerland took the second place honor in the Smear Ripened Hard Cheese category.
- Emmi Winzer, made by Adrian Meyer in Wattenwil, Switzerland, captured second place in the Smear Ripened Semi Hard Cheese category.
- Appenzeller Käse, made by Patrik Brand in Märwil, Switzerland, took home third place in the Appenzeller Cheese category.
Winzer, a distinctive artisan cheese carefully crafted with red wine lees, is exclusively available in the United States through Emmi Roth USA.
“We are extremely honored to receive recognition at this biennial competition, and congratulate all of the winning cheesemakers” said Linda Duwve, VP of Sales and Marketing at Emmi Roth USA. “The dedication, passion and pride of our cheesemakers and cellar masters is reflected in each of our award-winning cheeses.”
For additional information on the contest, as well as complete results for all entry classes and contest photos, visit www.worldchampioncheese.org.
About Emmi Roth USA, Inc.
Emmi Roth USA, a subsidiary of Switzerland based Emmi Group, is a leading producer of specialty cheeses. The expansive portfolio includes award-winning cheeses from the United States, Switzerland and Europe, each crafted with pride from the freshest local milk. Key cheese brands include Kaltbach Cave-aged, Roth Grand Cru® and Buttermilk Blue®. Tradition and innovation balance perfectly to deliver distinctive offerings of the highest quality to the retail and food service trades.
Source: Emmi Roth USA, Inc.
