(WFRV) – The state of Wisconsin lived up to its moniker of ‘the dairy state’ by winning the most golds at a national cheese contest, including the first runner-up made by a Door County cheese company.

The 2023 United States Championship Cheese Contest announced all of its winners on February 23, and Wisconsin took home 54 Best of Class finishes of the 113 total classes.

The most prestigious award, however, was won by an Aged Gouda, called Europa, made by the team at Arethusa Farm Dairy in Bantam, Connecticut.

First runner-up in the contest was the Vintage Cupola American Original Cheese, a hard raw milk cheese made by Door Artisan Cheese Company of Egg Harbor for Red Barn Family Farms in Appleton.

The second runner-up also comes from Wisconsin, a Medium Cheddar made by Dillon Sylla for Associated Milk Producers Inc. of Blair.

The men and women of the U.S. dairy processing industry are exceptionally passionate and dedicated to crafting quality products, and that commitment shines through in the high caliber of this year’s winners. We congratulate them on their hard-earned and well-deserved success.

John Umhoefer, Executive Director for the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association

Second to Wisconsin, dairy manufacturers from California took home nine golds, and Idaho finished third in the ranking with eight Best of Class awards.

The event was held on February 21-22 in Green Bay.

To see the full list of winners, click here.