At culture, we eat a lot of cheese—funky cheeses, flavored cheeses, ones with bloomy rinds and ones sans rinds, cheeses made of several animal milks, cheeses made from plants, so on. We also attend national and international competitions each year alongside makers and folks in the biz so that we can add award-winning cheeses to our breadth of cheesy knowledge.
“For most competitions, judges score cheese against itself, meaning various categories are scored with numbers versus eating a bunch of cheeses and picking which you feel is best. But some competitions go by ‘best bite’ toward the end of the judging process, such as the World Cheese Awards,” writes Mallory Scyphers, culture’s executive content director, in her editor’s letter for our annual Best Cheeses issue. “At this competition, judges will stand on a stage and passionately defend their choice. I love watching this. It reminds me why this industry thrives.”
culture loves and supports the creativity, ambition, and—as Scyphers mentioned—passion that makers bring to the competition tasting table each year. Their energy makes us eager to tap into our creativity and ambition as we look at the year in review and compile this list of best cheeses to keep on your radar in 2025.
“Our annual Best Cheeses Issue is always a challenge to put together because, quite frankly, it’s a ton of work,” says Scyphers. “The editorial team starts culling thousands of award-winners as early as August, and a massive, multi-tabbed spreadsheet highlighting cheeses that hit all the right notes is compiled.”
“Once this exhaustive list is narrowed down to around 100 cheeses—based on criteria such as milk type, cheesemaker, region, and style—we select our final 60 based on feeling, or recalling our first bite, then we not-so-dramatically defend our choices (on Zoom calls as opposed to stages),” she says. “Sometimes we see a winner and think, ‘Wow, I’ve never heard of this cheese from India… I think our readers would love this,’ or, ‘I know this maker has a ton of awards under their belt, but I’ve tasted this cheese and it’s so worth calling out.'”
This is the infectious spirit of our Best Cheeses issue: that of the cheesemakers, organized in glossy magazine format and online form too. Because we want you to go out in the world and try something new, exciting, and boundary-pushing. In short: Something you never knew existed but you HAVE to try now that you know it does.
Our talented team of food writers and cheese professionals have curated a group of 60 award-winning cheeses we think you should know about. The competitions we sourced these cheeses from include the 2024 American Cheese Society Judging and Competition (ACS), 2024 World Championship Cheese Contest (WCCC), 2023–24 World Cheese Awards (WCA), and the 2024 Good Food Awards (GFA).
We’ve linked as many cheeses as possible to online stores that will deliver these winners right to your door. Canada had a strong presence across the board this year, so we’ve also included links to order Canadian cheeses wherever applicable. (Please note that Canadian cheeses may only be available for delivery if you have a Canadian address.) If you order through our affiliate links, culture may earn commission. If we earn commission, that means you’ve supported an indie food publication—good on you!
We hope you enjoy browsing this list and learning more about the best-of-the-best cheeses from around the globe.
Best Cow’s Milk Cheeses
The Gray
The Mystic Cheese Company
Groton, Connecticut
Inspired by Great Britain, this wheel is made in the traditional Cheshire style in the heart of New England. It’s made so well, in fact, that it took First in its category at the 2024 ACS. It starts with milk from Ayrshire Cows and is aged 90 days to give it a crumbly yet creamy texture. The Gray has a lactic acidity that’s characteristic of classic Cheshires and a lingering buttery finish. MT
Raclette de Compton au Poivre
Fromagerie La Station
Compton, Quebec
This year’s First Place Best of Show at the 2024 ACS was a peppery wheel from Canadian cheesemaker Fromagerie La Station. It’s a creamy cow’s milk raclette that packs a punch, thanks to a line of pink peppercorns running through its center, which imbues the surrounding cheese with a delicately floral and notably zippy flavor. Like a traditional raclette, this cheese is meant to be melted over all manner of accompaniments: hunks of sourdough, classic cornichons, and boiled potatoes. MT
Le Cousin
Fromagerie Médard
Saint-Gédéon, Quebec
An instant classic from Canada, this washed-rind cheese took Second Place Best of Show at the 2024 ACS. Le Cousin is made using pasteurized milk from Brown Swiss cows, resulting in a soft, buttery wheel that’s aged for 21 days. The rind is a lovely light orange, and because it’s washed, this cheese also has a slightly funky finish. MT
*Only available for purchase in Canada
Fennel Blue
Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company
Point Reyes Station, California
No stranger to award season, California’s iconic Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company put another blue beauty up for consideration this year, to notable effect. Using the natural-rind, oft-awarded Bay Blue as a base, fennel seeds were added to create Fennel Blue, which earned Third in its category at the 2024 ACS. Flavored cheese had a big year at ACS, and Fennel Blue was part of the excitement in its first year on the market. With sweet and spicy pungency, fennel amplifies not only the natural sweetness of the cheese but its umami depth as well, resulting in what may be the perfect cheese accompaniment to a gin and tonic. PV
Blue Moo
COWS Creamery
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
As far as blue cheeses go, this Canadian cow’s milk blue is mild, creamy, and perfect for those looking for a gentle foray into funk. Blue Moo is a rindless triple cream, which means it has a rich, buttery mouthfeel and a soft, spreadable texture. This newcomer won First in its category at the 2024 ACS, and its versatility shines—whether eaten solo, served on a cheese plate, or incorporated into a classic dish such as macaroni and cheese. MT
Flagship Reserve
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese
Seattle, Washington
Flagship Reserve is no stranger to the awards circuit, and 2024 was no exception—this semi-hard cow’s milk cheese took Third Place Best of Show at the 2024 ACS. It’s aged for 15 months, which allows complex nutty and caramel-y flavors to develop. In terms of texture, it crumbles like parmesan and has slight crystalline structure that can stand up to anything, from fruity jams to dark chocolate. MT
Eldo
Haro Cheese Company
Bertram, Texas
Haro Cheese Company founder Joel Haro may be a relative newcomer to the cheese world, but he’s already churning out winners—his Manchego-inspired wheel took First in its category for ripened cheeses aged more than 90 days at the 2024 ACS. Eldo is a raw cow’s milk cheese that’s coated in vegetable ash and aged in Haro’s on-site cheese cave. It’s tangy, a tad citrusy, and extremely snackable. MT
Stichelton
Stichelton Dairy
Cuckney, United Kingdom
The result of a partnership between London’s legendary Neal’s Yard Dairy and cheesemaker Joe Schneider, Stichelton is a resurrection of the original form of Stilton, which was once made with raw cow’s milk. (The formation of the Stilton PDO in 1996 sealed its fate as a pasteurized cheese.) Honoring the same, careful process since its inception in 2006, hand-ladled and slowly drained curds create a blue cheese of delicate texture and a remarkably long finish, bringing both toasty and fruity notes to the table. Stichelton was awarded Gold at the 2023–24 WCA. PV
Humble
Parish Hill Creamery
Westminster West, Vermont
Parish Hill Creamery’s Humble would seem to be a fitting name for a cheese described by its maker as a “small-format monastic tomme.” However, there’s little that’s actually humble about Humble, a funky, pudgy, washed-rind stunner with a recent 2023–24 WCA Super Gold accolade to its name. With the banner “natural cheese done right,” veteran cheesemaker Rachel Fritz Schaal is making cheese as naturally as possible, with every step of the process undertaken on-premise, from the raw milk sourced from nearby Elm Lea Farm to starter cultures selected from specific cows to the spontaneously fermented cider used to wash the Humble wheels. PV
*An earlier version of this story mistakenly credited Fritz Schaal’s husband, Peter Dixon, with the production of Humble.
Nodini
Caputo Cheese
Melrose Park, Illinois
The folks at Caputo Cheese have been making award-winning Italian cheeses stateside for decades, and 2024 was no exception. Their Nodini—a knotted fresh mozzarella made with cow’s milk—won First in its category at the 2024 ACS as well as Best of Class at the 2024 WCCC. This cheese has a soft, stretchy texture and a mild, milky flavor that makes it perfect for cooking or enjoying straight out of the container. MT
Apple Walnut Smoked Cheddar
Beehive Cheese Company
Uintah, Utah
When it comes to smoked cheeses, balance is key, and this brick from Utah-based Beehive Cheese Company achieves the perfect harmony between subtlety and smoke. The base cheese is a tangy, creamy cow’s milk cheddar that’s cold smoked with apple and walnut wood to give it a toasted, fruity flavor that isn’t overpowering. It placed First in the Smoked Cheddar category at the 2024 ACS. MT
Darkside of the Moo
Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese
Woodstock, Ontario
Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese co-owner Shep Ysselstein was no stranger to dairy farming, having grown up on a family farm, but it was an apprenticeship in Switzerland following business school that specifically shaped his cheesemaking approach. Since 2011, Ysselstein has been crafting Swiss-inspired cheeses using locally sourced pasteurized cow’s milk in Ontario, Canada. Modeled after a lesser-known Swiss cheese called Mutschli, Darkside of the Moo is soaked in a local chocolate stout, which brings another element of Swiss influence to the playful award winner. Nutty, buttery, and with just a whiff of cocoa, Darkside of the Moo earned First in its flavored cheese category at the 2024 ACS. PV
*Only available for purchase in Canada
Street Ched
Urban Stead Cheese
Cincinnati, Ohio
This English-style clothbound cheddar is aged for a minimum of 12 months to give it the perfect balance of slightly sweet and tangy sharpness that warranted First in its category at the 2024 ACS. Urban Stead Cheese uses local Jersey cow’s milk to make this impressive wheel, and the cloth it is bound in imparts a savory earthiness that lingers long after the initial cheddar punch. MT
Intergalactic
Perrystead Dairy
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Inspiring “out of this world” metaphors since first hitting cheese cases in 2021, Perrystead Dairy’s Intergalactic placed First among American Originals at the 2024 ACS. Cheesemaker Yoav Perry threw out the earthbound rulebook for this cheese, typical of his signature use of traditional European techniques to create entirely original American cheeses. For Intergalactic, he applies cardoon thistle rennet to pasteurized cow’s milk and sets it in a petite cube mold. The square shape, combined with its mottled Geotrichum candidum rind, gives the cheese an otherworldly appearance, but its flavor and texture make it truly cosmic: Think freshly baked bread and savory green olives in a fluffy yet gooey package. PV
Calderwood
Jasper Hill Farm
Greensboro, Vermont
This cow’s milk cheese is a master class in milk terroir. The same hay that the cows graze on is also harvested, dried, and used to coat the exterior of the cheese, which equates to a double dose of grassy goodness when it comes to the final product. Calderwood is brined for six months before the hay is added, and the resulting cheese is earthy, nutty, and complex. It won First in its category at the 2024 ACS. MT
Victoria
McGrath Cheese Company
Hudson, New York
Nestled in the Hudson Valley, you’ll find McGrath Cheese Company, the artisan producer behind this soft-ripened square. Victoria is made with pasteurized cow’s milk and aged for three to six weeks, which gives the cheese a balanced, milky flavor with a hint of funk at the finish and a smooth, buttery texture. This cheese took First in its category at the 2024 ACS. MT
Marieke Gouda Aged, 9–12 Months
Marieke Gouda
Thorp, Wisconsin
Cheesemaker Marieke Penterman has been bringing her Dutch cheesemaking sensibilities—and boundless enthusiasm—to northern Wisconsin since 2006, crafting award-winning goudas to rival those of her native Holland. Full-flavored raw cow’s milk, collected from the herd in her free-stall “cow spa,” is key to the various expressions of gouda that have earned accolades since her very first batch. Best-selling Marieke Gouda Aged, which took Second in its category at the 2024 ACS, spends nine to 12 months maturing on pine planks that impart a nutty flavor that is equally rich and approachable, with a delectable crystalline crunch. PV
C2
Bruny Island Cheese Co.
Bruny Island, Tasmania
Started in 2003 as a passion project to create something distinctively Tasmanian, Bruny Island Cheese Co. was founded by Nick Haddow, who previously spent a decade working with specialist cheesemakers from around the world. Created from a blueprint using Northern Italian and French mountain cheeses, along with milk from rare breed Tasmanian cattle, C2 was Australia’s first raw-milk cheese when it was initially made in 2009. Sweet and nutty in character, the raw-milk experiment has paid dividends: C2 was awarded Super Gold at the 2023–24 WCA, as well as Best Australian Cheese. PV
Hornbacher
Gourmino AG
Emmental, Switzerland
Commonly and lovingly referred to as the “baked potato cheese,” Hornbacher gets its name from the river that flows next to Michael “Michu” and Monika Spycher’s dairy, Mountain Dairy Fritzenhaus. Over the past 10 years, the wheel has gone from being sold solely in their cheese shop in Switzerland to being distributed worldwide and, most importantly, being crowned World Champion at the 2024 WCCC. A Master Cheesemaker, Spycher is no stranger to awards, having won the WCCC three other times. But for the first time, his 2023 win wasn’t for a Gruyère. Hornbacher is a complex umami bomb of flavor, with everything you’d find in the best baked potato—skin on, of course. Equally earthy and buttery, allium and herb notes show off the raw milk in this Alpine champion. AP
Appalachian
Meadow Creek Dairy
Galax, Virginia
Rick and Helen Feete began Meadow Creek Dairy in 1988, set high in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia to allow Alpine-style seasonal grazing for their Jersey-Holstein hybrid herd. Modeled after certain tomme- style cheeses of France and Italy, Appalachian is Meadow Creek’s first and signature cheese—a square, raw-milk tomme that’s aged for four months with a bright Penicillium candidum rind and a semi-firm texture. A Super Gold winner at the 2023–24 WCA, its flavors evoke lemon curd and damp earth, perfect for snacking or melting alike. AP
Nidelven Blå
Gangstad Gårdsysteri
Inderøy, Norway
A pasteurized cow’s milk blue cheese, Nidelven Blå was awarded Super Gold, as well as overall Champion, at the 2023–24 WCA. Named for a river in the Trondheim region of Norway, it was lauded by judges for its especially dense, creamy, and fudgy nature with fruity overtones. (Note to cheesemakers: Fruity blue cheeses named after rivers tend to perform well at the WCA.) Given its rich but approachable nature, it’s no surprise that Nidelven Blå was made by dairy artisans who also produce ice cream on their farmstead property. Established by Astrid Aasen and Perry Frøysadal in 1998, Gangstad Gårdsysteri was Norway’s first licensed cow’s milk creamery. PV
Tokyo Brown Cheese
Cheese Stand
Tokyo, Japan
Modeled after the famously brown Norwegian cheese Brunost, Tokyo Brown Cheese, from Japanese producer and retailer Cheese Stand, was awarded Super Gold at the 2023–24 WCA. Brown Cheese is packaged exactly like a bar of candy, complete with individual, breakable squares and an aluminum foil wrapper. This move is not only whimsical, it’s also a savvy way to help consumers contextualize the cheese—made with caramelized whey and cow’s milk in a move that is both sustainable and delicious—Brown Cheese is absolutely candy in cheese form. PV
Kaltbach Appenzeller
Emmi Group
Lucerne, Switzerland
Emmi Group’s Kaltbach Appenzeller perhaps owes its success to not one but two wonders of the cheese world: First, the raw, full-fat cow’s milk wheels are treated with a secret brine recipe that imbues the cheese with savory and distinctively herbal characteristics; second, the wheels are aged in the mineral-rich environment of the natural sandstone Kaltbach Cave, where only the most exceptional will finish their affinage. Kaltbach Appenzeller was awarded Super Gold at the 2023–24 WCA—just one of many accolades earned in its lifetime. PV
Artikaas Vintage Lot 18
Dutch Cheese Makers
Heerenveen, Netherlands
Artikaas has spent six generations perfecting the art of Gouda, and they might have actually achieved it. Using traditional, sustainable methods dating back more than 2,000 years, Vintage Lot 18 climbed the ranks to win Best of Class at the 2024 WCCC (after coming in second in 2020) and was First Runner Up to the overall champion out of 3,302 entries. The “18” in Lot 18 stands for the number of months this Gouda is aged. A year and a half of aging allows nutty, praline-like flavors to develop slowly and thoroughly throughout the cheese for a consistently complex taste. AP
Cello Artisan Copper Kettle Parmesan
Schuman Cheese
Turtle Lake, Wisconsin
Copper Kettle isn’t just a name, it’s also a time-honored method of cheesemaking. Borrowing from Swiss tradition, the experts behind this Wisconson staple transform fresh milk into award-winning cheese in large copper vats. Named Best of Class at the 2024 WCCC, this pasteurized cow’s milk wheel is aged 16 months, and its firm-yet-creamy nature makes it a truly versatile cheese. Shred it on soups, shave it on salads, or sprinkle it on your favorite chili. The unique cooked-caramel notes make it delightful for snacking on its own and a perfect partner to bring out the complexity in any pairing. AP
Sleeping Beauty
Cascadia Creamery
Trout Lake, Washington
When we think of the term “cave aged,” we might think of aging caves in Europe or temperature-and-humidity-controlled concrete rooms in the United States. But Cascadia Creamery is a Washington producer that takes cave aging to a truly explosive level. Sleeping Beauty is aged in tubular caves carved by lava from Mount Adams, a formerly-active volcano. The delicate, natural rind complements the smooth, hole-ridden interior, and its flavor is somehow both deliciously simple and incredibly complex.
To make great cheese, you need great milk. Cascadia Creamery’s certified organic raw milk comes from Jersey cows grazing on the Cascade Mountain grass that sprouts from nutrient-dense volcanic soil. The pale, straw-colored paste is rich and buttery, with a balanced acidity to keep you, and the judges at the 2024 GFA, coming back for more. Eat Sleeping Beauty by itself or, as cheesemaker John Shuman advises, melt it on almost everything. AP
Tatie
Moro Formaggi
Oderzo, Italy
Moro Formaggi has been refining cheese in Italy’s Treviso region since 1930, working with artisan cheesemakers to hand-select individual wheels for its award-winning recipes and processes. A Super Gold recipient at the 2023–24 WCA, Tatie almost defies categorization: A cow’s milk blue cheese base is mixed with fresh mascarpone for an extra creamy texture and is combined with an aromatized Piedmont vermouth for tangy, floral, and herbaceous notes. Tatie is a sweet and complex dessert in a single blue bite—a cheese better spooned than sliced. PV
Holland Delta, 1 Year Old
Van der Heiden Kaas
Bodegraven, Netherlands
The Dutch have been known to honor tradition while embracing new technology, and the Van der Heiden Kaas family has been perfecting cheese with this mindset for over 50 years. You can try several of their aged Goudas, but the Holland Delta, 1 Year Old has proven to be a favorite of fans and judges alike, winning Super Gold at the 2023–24 WCA and being named Best Cheese in the Netherlands. Leaving the wheels to mature for at least a year is the perfect amount of time to attain the sweet spot of robust, nutty flavor and consistent crystallization without overtaking the super golden paste. AP
Green Hill
Sweet Grass Dairy
Thomasville, Georgia
This mushroomy delight is everything you want in a soft-ripened double cream cheese. Named after the family’s first rotational-grazing dairy, Green Hill showcases the commitment to land and craft inherent in everything Sweet Grass Dairy does. Following in the footsteps of her parents Al and Desiree Wehner, Jessica Little and her husband Jeremy carry on the tradition of cheesemaking that highlights the cultural value and flavor of their grass-based milk. Impressing the judges at the 2024 GFA, this buttery, bloomy beauty is silky, handcrafted goodness. AP
Best Buffalo Milk Cheeses
Burrata di Bufala
Calabro Cheese
East Haven, Connecticut
Pasteurized buffalo milk is the star of this dreamy domestic burrata that won First in its category at the 2024 ACS. This Connecticut-based cheesemaker is known for its award-winning renditions of Italian classics such as ricotta and mozzarella—now, they’ve added burrata to the list. This pillowy orb is filled with hand-pulled strands of buffalo milk mozzarella and buffalo cream, which adds a touch of sweetness. MT
Flower Power
Kris Lloyd Artisan
Adelaide Hills, Australia
Flower Power might transport you to a state of peace and love, but it’s much more than just a groovy cheese, baby. Hailing from Australia, this special cooked-curd cheese is a stunner on the palate and on a cheeseboard. It begins with semi-hard buffalo milk and gets coated with a pressed rind of seasonal herbs and flowers, including marigold, cornflowers, and native thyme. The beautiful contrast of the goldenrod and periwinkle petals lend some serious wow factor. Cheesemaker Kris Lloyd credits part of their world- class milk quality and 2024 WCCC Best of Class win to the incredible biosecurity of South Australia. This creamy, aromatic cheese is certainly a love letter to beauty and creativity. AP
Best Sheep’s Milk Cheeses
Mariana
Blakesville Creamery
Port Washington, Wisconsin
Blakesville Creamery is known for bucking norms in the Dairy State with its focus on artisan goat cheeses. The product line from this woman-owned farmstead operation also includes a handful of sheep’s milk selections, including Mariana—which took home First in its category at the 2024 ACS, as well as a spot in the top 10 overall. Named for Blakesville’s sheep milk supplier, animal scientist, and breeder Mariana Marques de Almeda, this natural-rind tomme boasts a creamy texture with sweet and nutty notes. AJ
Lamb Chopper
Cypress Grove
Arcata, California
The sole sheep’s milk selection from the pioneers at OG domestic goat cheese producer Cypress Grove, Lamb Chopper’s hefty, Dutch-made wheels look like aged gouda but taste like brown butter. This crowd-pleasing wheel won Gold at the 2023–24 WCA. With a smooth, semi-firm texture that’s ideal for melting and a combination of mildly nutty and sweet notes, this wheel is as snackable as it is winning. Melt it over roasted mushrooms, stir it into polenta, or enjoy it in a grilled cheese sandwich with a glass of malty brown ale. AJ
Fruitière des Bergers
Fromagerie Nouvelle France
Racine, Quebec
Quebec cheesemakers won big at the 2024 ACS, and Fromagerie Nouvelle France is no exception. This creamery in Quebec’s Eastern Townships region is owned by siblings Jean-Paul Houde, who handles the flock and farm, and Marie-Chantal Houde, who makes the cheese. Their Fruitière des Bergers, named in tribute to the local shepherds who supply the creamery with milk, took home First in its category. This raw-milk wheel is aged on wooden boards and develops a sunset-hued washed rind over 75 days. Inside, a yielding ivory paste offers a supple texture with milky, floral flavors. AJ
*Only available for purchase in Canada
Leo
Shooting Star Creamery
Paso Robles, California
Second-generation cheesemaker Avery Jones produces celestial-themed sheep’s milk cheeses as Shooting Star Creamery, an offshoot of her family’s business, Central Coast Creamery. Leo, her bloomy-rind selection, brought home First in its category at the 2024 ACS for its delicately earthy aroma and flavors of fresh cream and white button mushroom. A thin, white rind like a powdered donut develops over a pillowy, toothsome paste when wheels are two to three weeks old, followed by a lush cream line beneath as the cheese ages. AJ
Petit Agour
Agour
Hélette, France
This pint-size sheep’s milk wheel is a big winner. Aged for at least three months by the last independent producer in French Basque Country, Petit Agour earned Best in Class at the 2024 WCCC. A vivid orange rind encases a buttery yet firm paste that offers a sweet, nutty flavor profile with gentle notes of lanolin—a signature flavor of sheep’s milk cheeses. Bust out the girolle to create rosettes of this delicate, floral wheel, then serve it with cherry preserves, fresh figs, and a glass of sauvignon blanc. AJ
Pur Brebis Fermier
Fromagerie Matocq
Asson, France
Nestled in the French Pyrenees, Fromagerie Matocq has been aging cheese in the Béarnaise tradition for nearly 75 years. In addition to Ossau-Iraty AOP, Matocq refines a variety of sheep’s milk cheeses, including Pur Brebis Fermier, which took home Super Gold at the 2023–24 WCA. A natural rind the color of pale sandstone is developed over three months with careful brushing in the aging caves. The hay- colored paste inside bears fruity, floral flavors of summer milk from sheep grazing in high mountain pastures. Pair this cheese with fruit preserves such as fig jam, quince paste, or black cherry jam and a glass of sauternes. AJ
Abuelo Ruperto
Quesos Ruperto
Murcia, Spain
Spain took home more Super Golds at the 2023–24 WCA—17, in fact—than any other country. That rarefied list includes El Abuelo Ruperto, a raw sheep’s milk wheel with a cobblestone- like natural rind and semi-firm ivory paste from Quesos Ruperto. This closed- circle farm and creamery uses organic practices to grow all the feed for its herd of 4,000 Lacaune sheep. Named for cheesemaker Llorema Madrid Zapata’s grandfather, this handmade cheese is aged from two to 12 months. Expect earthy, mushroomy aromas on the rind and flavors of roasted nuts and tropical pineapple in the paste. AJ
Prairie Tomme
Green Dirt Farm
Weston, Missouri
Easily recognized by the curly-fleeced sheep pressed into each wheel’s rustic, mineral-scented rind, this iconic tomme evokes old-world sheep’s milk styles ranging from Ossau-Iraty to Paski Sir. In the vat, the curds are cut into very small, grainlike pieces before they’re gently heated and pressed to drive out as much moisture as possible. This helps concentrate the cheese’s rich flavors of roasted nuts, browned butter, and fresh grass during aging—a minimum of three months, but often longer to achieve optimal flavor. Among a slew of awards in years past, Prairie Tomme won a 2024 GFA. AJ
Buona Fortuna
Tomales Farmstead Creamery
Tomales, California
Tomales Farmstead Creamery, which transforms sheep’s and goat’s milk from Toluma Farms, won not once but twice at the 2024 GFA. One was for Liwa, their fresh goat cheese, and the other for Buona Fortuna, a Pecorino- inspired sheep’s milk selection that’s made in springtime when the fresh milk is flowing and lower in fat. This allows the creamery to age out wheels over the course of the year to build flavor and develop texture, from delicately briny and bitey to savory and crumbly—ideal for grating over pasta or sautéed vegetables. AJ
Wigmore
Village Maid Cheese
Riseley, England
This supple, snowy-white round is named for its creator Anne Wigmore, who co-founded Village Maid Cheese with her husband Andy nearly 40 years ago. Originally developed for Neal’s Yard Dairy in 1991, this wheel receives a curd treatment unique among bloomies. Before they’re formed into wheels, Wigmore’s curds are washed with water—a technique typically reserved for firmer cheeses such as gouda and Colby—making for a less acidic final product with a fudgy, slightly chalky texture. Mild and lactic when young and meaty and robust when allowed to age, Wigmore brought home Super Gold at the 2023–24 WCA. AJ
Little Boy Blue
Hook’s Cheese Company
Mineral Point, Wisconsin
The Hook family is renowned for long-aged cheddars, but their skill with blue cheese has been recognized time and again in national and international competitions. Little Boy Blue—a Roquefort-inspired sheep’s milk wheel, one of Hook’s six blue offerings—brought home Best of Class at the 2024 WCCC. The Hook’s team ages each wheel for 10 to 12 months, developing a complex flavor profile that includes notes of grapes and honey. Pair this rich, lush selection with fig jam, buckwheat honey, or candied pecans. AJ
Best Goat’s Milk Cheeses
Rosa Maria
ShadowBrook Farm and Dutch Girl Creamery
Lincoln, Nebraska
An homage to cheesemaker Charuth van Beuzekom’s birthplace of Roses, Spain, Rosa Maria makes up 20 percent of the annual production at Nebraska’s Dutch Girl Creamery. Crafted exclusively with pasteurized spring and fall milk from the herd she and her husband Kevin Loth keep at ShadowBrook Farm, each round is formed by hand in baskets that impart a unique seashell pattern. The wheels are then brined in salt water for 18 to 24 hours, dried on wooden boards, and cave-aged for at least four months. The result is a beautifully earthy and tart cheese that never loses the naturally floral quality of its milk. Rosa Maria won First in its category at the 2024 ACS. CJ
1916
Wegmans Food Markets
Rochester, New York
When Wegmans first opened its state- of-the-art cheese caves in 2014, no one really expected the grocery chain to set a new standard for what a supermarket dairy case could be. That all changed four years later, after the multi-state retailer took home First in its category at the 2018 ACS for its nutty, natural- rind goat cheese named 1916, which took home the same prize at the 2024 ACS. A nod to the year Wegmans was founded, 1916 was originally made in partnership with French cheesemaker Adeline Druart, former president of Vermont Creamery. Today, each silky round is formed with care by the Vermont Creamery team and shipped to Rochester, New York, to age in Wegmans’ closely monitored caves for 18 days. CJ
Idyll Gris
Idyll Farms
Northport, Michigan
The fact that Idyll Farms can trace the heritage of their goats back to the French Alps should be proof alone that this Northern Michigan creamery isn’t playing around when it comes to quality. These posh Alpine goats graze on 500 acres of pasture on Lake Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula, where the wildflowers and tall grasses lend full-bodied flavor to their milk. Idyll’s attention to detail results in a fluffy farmstead cheese with vibrant notes of citrus that play just as well with sweet pairings as with savory ones. Serve this First Place 2024 ACS winner with fresh strawberries, orange blossom honey, or smoky chili oil and herbed crackers. CJ
Wonderland
Mountain Lodge Farm
Eatonville, Washington
What better cheese to make in Washington’s Cascade Foothills than a classic mountain tomme? Its namesake, Wonderland Trail, encircles Mount Rainier the same way the dappled natural rind of Wonderland envelops the rich, pale paste of this First Place 2024 ACS winner. Made with raw milk from LaMancha and Nigerian Dwarf goats, this cheese is a true expression of Mountain Lodge Farm’s unique landscape. Nutty and earthy yet floral and fresh, this cheese complements briny, fruity flavors and matches beautifully with acidic food and wine that cut through the cheese’s richness. AP
Smokey Mountain Round
Goat Lady Dairy
Climax, North Carolina
You can actually taste the signature quality and care that goes into making each hand-formed wheel of Goat Lady Dairy’s Smokey Mountain Round, which placed First in its category at the 2024 ACS. Once wheels are shaped and dried, they’re lightly smoked over applewood chips, which naturally turns the rind a subtle light brown. The smoking process is one of the world’s oldest preserving techniques, so this cheese can last way longer unopened in your fridge than your average fresh cheese. AP
Medallion
Eleftheria Cheese
Mumbai, India
Founded by cheesemaker Mausam Narang in 2015, Eleftheria Cheese has been on a mission to put Indian cheese on the global map for nearly a decade. The Mumbai-based micro-creamery successfully took home Super Gold at the 2023–24 WCA for its salty, lemon- forward, feta-style Medallion. Crafted with indigenous goat’s milk sourced from partnering family-run farms across Maharashtra, each tangy round of Medallion is basket-molded before aging for five months. Pair this complex, crumbly cheese with pasta salad and roasted peppers, or bake it with tomatoes and olives for a decadent warm cheese dip. CJ
Lumberjack Bucheron
Old Chatham Creamery
Groton, New York
A New York take on a French classic, this goat’s milk cheese took First in its category at the 2024 ACS. Inspired by a lumberjack’s winter dream of snow-white Hudson Valley logs, this stunner features a thin cream line separating the bloomy rind from its chalky mineral paste. It’s dense without being too heavy, like fresh snow mixed with crumbly, yet creamy, clay. Citrus-forward when young, it matures into a softer, earthier cheese as it ages. It’s an ideal pick if a fresh goat log is a staple in your refrigerator but you desire something with a little more oomph. AP
Mango Habanero Fresh Goat Cheese
Laura Chenel
Sonoma, California
While Laura Chenel has been crafting exceptional French-style goat’s milk cheeses in the heart of wine country since 1979, the Sonoma-based creamery’s award-winning Mango Habanero Fresh Goat Cheese stands shoulders ahead of the herd. Awarded First in its category at the 2024 ACS, this delightful blend of juicy tropical fruit, piquant peppers, and fresh tangy milk creates a spreadable sweet-and-spicy chèvre that will liven up any cheese plate. Pair it with tart fruits such as pineapple for a true taste of the tropics, or crumble it on top of crispy fish tacos for bold Californian flavor with an added kick. CJ
Beemster Goat, 4 Month
Beemster Cheese
Westbeemster, Netherlands
With more than 120 years of traditional Dutch cheesemaking expertise to draw from, it’s no surprise that the masters at Beemster Cheese have crafted a goat cheese that even the most staunch skeptics will love. Blending the refreshing natural sweetness of goat’s milk with the delightful nuttiness of a good Gouda, this semi-firm cheese is cave-aged on wooden planks for four months before hitting retail shelves. While creamier and more mellow than a classic Beemster Gouda, this versatile 2024 Best of Class WCCC winner pairs well with ripe pears, crusty whole-grain bread, and a glass of crisp Californian syrah. CJ
Maple Bourbon Goat Cheese
LaClare Creamery
Malone, Wisconsin
This list would feel incomplete without an entry from LaClare Creamery, which has been making world-class goat cheese from the heart of America’s Dairyland for nearly half a century. Even with such a grand legacy, the Wisconsin-based producer continues to add exciting new offerings to the roster, including the award-winning Maple Bourbon, which won Best of Class at the 2024 WCCC. Melting across the palate like a taste of fall, aromatic notes of barrel-aged bourbon perfectly complement the touch of Vermont syrup. Slather on a burger topped with bacon and onion jam or sprinkle crumbles atop warm spiced nuts for a sumptuous snack. CJ
Best Mixed Milk Cheeses
Little Bloom on the Prairie
Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Champaign, Illinois
Crafted as Champaign, Illinois’s answer to Camembert, Little Bloom on the Prairie is a testament to the staying power of artisanal farmstead cheesemaking practices. Made with a mix of Jersey cow’s milk from nearby Kilgus Farmstead, as well as milk from Prairie Farms’ own herd of Nubian and LaMancha goats, this soft, bloomy-rind round will steal center stage on any cheese board. Luscious notes of buttery mushroom are first to hit the tongue, followed by notes of fresh cream with the gentlest tang. While this prairie darling stands well on its own, it can also be wrapped in puff pastry and baked to create a real showstopper. Little Bloom on the Prairie won First in its category at the 2024 ACS. CJ
Batch #17
The Farm at Doe Run
Chester County, Pennsylvania
The Farm at Doe Run has a well-earned abundance of riches when it comes to awards. Batch #17 (now officially named Springdell) is one of four Firsts at the 2024 ACS; the cheese also received Best of Class and Second Runner-Up by 0.01 point at the 2024 WCCC. From its slate-like fissured texture and signature amber color, you might not guess this surface-ripened cheese uses roughly eighty percent goat’s milk and twenty percent cow’s milk. Proudly created in Chester County, Pennsylvania, Batch #17 was originally meant to be a limited mixed-milk version of the popular St. Malachi. Cheese lovers will only need to wait 11 months—the amount of time it takes to age and achieve that savory goat-caramel flavor—to get their hands on the next batch, which has cemented itself as a staple in the American cheese landscape. AP
Riley’s 2×4
Blue Ledge Farm
Salisbury, Vermont
Named for the quirky fact that goats have only two teats while cows have four, Riley’s 2×4 is a raw mixed-milk cheese that entices the senses. Offering notes of honey-roasted nuts on the nose, this tomme-style First Place 2024 ACS winner from Salisbury, Vermont-based creamery Blue Ledge Farm takes a more briny and brothy turn on the palate. After combining fresh milk from their herd of Alpine and LaMancha goats with Ayrshire cow’s milk sourced from neighboring MoSe Farm, Blue Ledge cave-ages the wheels on-site for three months. The natural depth and acidity of the unpasteurized milk pairs well with gherkins, whole- grain mustard, and a loaf of crusty bread. CJ
Double Doe
Murray’s Cheese
New York, New York
Rich, meaty, and supremely snackable, this unique washed- rind cheese from New York institution Murray’s Cheese is proof that two is indeed better than one. Created in collaboration with the Farm at Doe Run, First Place 2024 ACS winner Double Doe is crafted from fresh sheep’s and goat’s milk collected on-site at the Chester County, Pennsylvania, creamery. After the “green” wheels are shaped and shipped to Murray’s Cheese Caves in Long Island City, each one is washed weekly in Danish mead throughout the aging process. After three to four months, Double Doe takes on a distinctive orange rind, imparting exquisite earthy flavor. CJ
Mezcla Curado
Quesos Los Cameros–Lácteos Martínez SLU
Haro, Spain
Founded by Jesús Martínez and his wife Justi González, Lácetos Martínez has been in operation since 1961. Located in the stunning La Rioja province of Northwestern Spain, this second-generation family creamery crafts a wide range of natural and aged products that showcase the best of what Spanish cheese has to offer. The star of the lineup is the Mezcla Curado, a unique mix containing minimum levels of 60 percent cow’s milk, 20 percent sheep’s milk, and 6 percent goat’s milk that develops a moderate intensity during its six-month aging process. While maturing, each wheel is bathed in organic olive oil that’s also produced on the Martínez family farm. Mezcla Curado took home Gold at the 2023–24 WCA. CJ
OG Goat
Groendal
Roeselare, Belgium
Belgian cheesemaker Johan Deweer has been crafting Gouda-style wheels in West Flanders since taking over his family’s livestock farm in 1987. Though Deweer’s company, Groendal, dedicated most of those years making traditional cow’s milk cheeses from its own herd’s milk, OG Goat marked his first foray into producing a goat’s milk cheese for the US market. Made with a touch of naturally sweet cream from cow’s milk, this 2023–24 WCA Super Gold winner is aged for 24 months, developing rich notes of butterscotch and well-formed tyrosine crystals that provide a delightful crunch. CJ
Gorgonzola with Cow’s and Sheep’s Milk
BelGioioso Cheese
Green Bay, Wisconsin
A Gorgonzola purist might say that technically only cow’s milk can be used to make this piquant, creamy Italian blue, but the award-winning cheesemakers at BelGioioso beg to differ. This First Place 2024 ACS winner incorporates a splash of sheep’s milk in its recipe—and has all the richness and tingly mouthfeel that fans of this cheese expect, but with a touch of sweet grassiness that slices through sharp notes. Speckled with peppery, deep blue veining, this 90-day-aged Gorgonzola is the perfect topping for an arugula salad with strawberries, or for folding into a creamy sauce to serve with filet mignon. CJ
Boont Corners Vintage Tomme
Pennyroyal Farm
Boonville, California
Named after the original site of Boonville in the heart of California’s Mendocino County, Boont Corners Vintage Tomme is a 2024 GFA–winning handcrafted wheel from Pennyroyal Farm. Created seasonally in small batches by head cheesemaker and herd manager Erika McKenzie- Chapter, each wheel of Boont Corners Vintage Tomme is made with fresh, raw goat’s and sheep’s milk from Pennyroyal’s own herd. While the creamery sells wheels of Boont Corners at various stages of aging, the five- to seven- month-aged Vintage Tomme offers a firm, slightly crumbly texture with a sharp tang that makes it perfect for grating over a plate of creamy risotto and serving with a chilled, fruit-forward white wine. CJ
Madison Trapkin
Former Editor-in-Chief Madison Trapkin is an Atlanta-bred, Boston-based writer. She graduated from Boston University’s Gastronomy master’s Program in December 2018 and started at culture in March 2019. She is passionate about The Feminist Agenda, pizza, and regularly watering her houseplants.
Chala June
Chala June is a Brooklyn-based writer, food enthusiast, and former cheesemonger.
Anne-Marie Pietersma
Anne-Marie Pietersma is an actress, comedian, writer, and cheese educator based in Brooklyn, New York. She is the co-creator of the podcast "Is This a Brie?" and owner of The Cheese Basement, where she curates custom food and beverage experiences.
Pamela Vachon
Pamela Vachon is a freelance food and beverage writer and educator based in Astoria, New York, whose work has appeared in Bon Appétit, Wine Enthusiast, and VinePair, among others. Formerly a bartender and captain at New York’s two Michelin star restaurant, The Modern (where her cheese education began as a driver of a tableside cheese trolley), she is also a certified sommelier, and leads cheese, wine, and cocktail tastings through Murray’s Cheese and Night Inn
Alexandra Jones
Alexandra Jones is a writer and recovering cheesemonger based in Philadelphia. Her work on food, agriculture, social justice, and sustainability has appeared in outlets like USA Today, Food & Wine, Atlas Obscura, Civil Eats, The Counter, Audubon, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and Modern Farmer. She’s the author of Stuff Every Cheese Lover Should Know, a pocket guide to cheese from Quirk Books.
