Louisville, Kentucky – July 9, 2026 – In a resounding affirmation of its enduring excellence, Jasper Hill Farm of Greensboro, Vermont, has once again captured the highest honor in American cheesemaking. Their renowned Winnimere, a distinctive washed-rind raw cow’s milk cheese, was awarded First Place Best of Show at the prestigious American Cheese Society (ACS) Judging & Competition. The announcement, made on July 8th during the 2026 ACS Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, marks a significant milestone for the creamery, as Winnimere famously secured the same top distinction in 2013, solidifying Jasper Hill’s place at the pinnacle of artisanal cheese production.

This year’s competition, a vibrant showcase of North and South American cheesemaking prowess, also celebrated the remarkable achievements of other innovative creameries. Blakesville Creamery’s Artze, a unique lactic sheep’s milk cheese from Port Washington, Wisconsin, earned Second Place Best of Show, while Urban Stead Cheese’s ‘Nati Gouda, a tribute to Cincinnati, Ohio, claimed Third Place Best of Show. The collective success of these diverse creameries underscores the dynamic and evolving landscape of American artisanal cheese.

A Legacy Reaffirmed: Jasper Hill’s Enduring Pursuit of Excellence

Jasper Hill Farm’s triumph with Winnimere is not merely a single victory but a powerful testament to a philosophy deeply rooted in terroir, craftsmanship, and community. The Vermont farmstead creamery has consistently pushed the boundaries of American cheesemaking, creating cheeses that are both deeply traditional and uniquely expressive of their Northeastern Vermont origins.

Winnimere itself is a marvel of cheesemaking artistry. Inspired by European alpine traditions, particularly Switzerland’s Försterkäse and the renowned Vacherin Mont d’Or, this seasonal delicacy is crafted from the rich, raw milk of Jasper Hill’s own herd. Each wheel is meticulously washed with a pungent brine, fostering a complex rind, and then carefully wrapped in spruce bark sourced from the farm’s own woodlands. This distinctive spruce wrapping imparts a subtle, resinous note, contributing to Winnimere’s custardy, spoonable texture and its intoxicating aroma—a symphony of earthy, woodsy, and lactic notes. Its seasonal availability, typically from late fall through early spring, adds to its allure, making each batch a highly anticipated event for cheese connoisseurs.

This latest accolade follows closely on the heels of Jasper Hill’s strong showing in 2025, where their Withersbrook Blue, a cider-bathed blue cheese celebrated for its sweet, lactic, and floral notes, secured Second Place Best of Show. Such consistent recognition at the highest level of competition speaks volumes about the creamery’s unwavering commitment to quality and innovation across its diverse portfolio. The repeated success of Winnimere, particularly, highlights the cheese’s timeless appeal and the meticulous consistency of Jasper Hill’s production methods over more than a decade.

The Journey to the Podium: Stories of Craft and Dedication

The ACS Judging & Competition is not just about the final products, but also the stories of the passionate individuals and dedicated teams behind them. This year’s top winners represent different milks, regions, and cheesemaking philosophies, united by a shared pursuit of excellence.

Blakesville Creamery: A Wisconsin Anomaly’s Ascent

Veronica Pedraza, the visionary cheesemaker behind Blakesville Creamery in Port Washington, Wisconsin, brought a distinctive flavor to the awards stage with her Artze. Breaking away from Wisconsin’s traditional dominance in cow’s milk cheeses, Pedraza specializes in sheep’s milk varieties, proudly calling herself "definitely an anomaly in Wisconsin." Artze, named after Pedraza’s grandmother, is a lactic sheep’s milk cheese, aged for a delicate 14 days. Its unique character is further enhanced by a dusting of Espelette pepper, a mild, smoky-sweet pepper native to the Basque region of France, which adds a subtle warmth and aromatic complexity. The cheese shares its foundational recipe with Blakesville’s other acclaimed offerings, Afterglow and Shabby Shoe, showcasing Pedraza’s mastery in creating a range of expressions from a single, expertly developed base. Her success highlights the growing diversity within the American cheese scene, proving that exceptional cheese can emerge from unexpected corners and milks.

Urban Stead Cheese: Cincinnati’s Tribute to Dutch Tradition

From the heart of Cincinnati, Ohio, Scott Robbins and Andrea Siefring-Robbins of Urban Stead Cheese presented their triumph, ‘Nati Gouda, earning them Third Place Best of Show. Their creamery, housed within a cleverly transformed former medical building, is a testament to their dedication to urban cheesemaking. ‘Nati Gouda is a profound tribute to their home city, crafted in the Dutch style with a natural rind. It undergoes an extensive aging process of a minimum of 18 months, during which it develops a rich, complex flavor profile characterized by notes of salted caramel and butterscotch.

The journey to this success was not without its challenges. Andrea Siefring-Robbins openly shared their struggles, admitting, "We’ve struggled a lot with our gouda over the years and came close to scrapping it from our program." Her emotional response upon winning underscored the depth of their commitment and the validation this award brought. Scott Robbins credits his background as a sommelier, which instilled in him a deep understanding of chemistry, and the guidance of esteemed mentors like 2026 Hot Lister Peter Dixon of Parish Hill Creamery, for his cheesemaking acumen. Their goal to "produce old world-style artisanal cheeses" is clearly being realized, as evidenced by this significant ACS win, following their Best of Show award for Aged Gouda at the Los Angeles International Dairy Competition in April.

The 2026 Competition: A Snapshot of American Cheese Excellence

The 2026 American Cheese Society Judging & Competition was a colossal undertaking, reflecting the vibrant growth and increasing sophistication of the artisanal cheese industry across North and South America. This year, approximately 1,600 entries from over 200 creameries vied for recognition across a multitude of categories. In total, 438 cheeses were awarded medals, a testament to the high quality and fierce competition.

While Canadian creameries have consistently demonstrated excellence, securing top honors in previous years, they did not land a spot in this year’s top Best of Show list. However, their cheeses continued to perform strongly across various categories, notably earning wins in divisions such as Soft-Ripened Cheeses made from sheep’s milk, showcasing the breadth of their expertise.

The competition provides an invaluable benchmark for cheesemakers, fostering innovation and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the dairy world. It also serves as a crucial platform for consumer education, highlighting the diversity and quality of American-made cheeses.

The 11 Best of Show Cheeses and Honorable Mentions (2026 American Cheese Society Judging & Competition):

(Please note: The original list was incomplete in the prompt, so I will list the top three and use the provided honorable mentions as given)

• First Place Best of Show: Winnimere, Jasper Hill Farm (Vermont)
• Second Place Best of Show: Artze, Blakesville Creamery (Wisconsin)
• Third Place Best of Show: ‘Nati Gouda, Urban Stead Cheese (Ohio)

Honorable Mentions:

• Highest Scoring Farmstead, Raw Milk, and Goat/Sheep/Mixed Milk: Black Swallowtail, The Farm at Doe Run
• Highest Scoring Goat/Sheep/Mixed Milk: Mango Habanero Fresh Goat Cheese Log, Laura Chenel; Black Truffle Marinated Goat Cheese, Laura Chenel; La Madelaine, Fromagerie Nouvelle France; Hawkins Haze, Blackberry Farm
• Highest Scoring American Original: Big Breakfast, Marin French Cheese Co.; Marieke Golden Mature, Marieke Gouda

These honorable mentions further illustrate the incredible range and specialized craft evident in this year’s competition, from the intricacies of raw milk farmstead cheeses to innovative goat and sheep milk varieties, and the distinct category of American Originals.

Voices from the Heart of Cheesemaking

The personal philosophies and heartfelt expressions of the cheesemakers themselves offer invaluable insight into the dedication that fuels their craft.

Mateo Kehler, co-founder of Jasper Hill, articulated the core of their mission: "Our approach to cheesemaking is to maximize deliciousness and focus, in a relentless way, on creating cheeses that reflect the best of our landscape, community, and the people who make these cheeses." He emphasized the collaborative spirit, stating, "It takes a village to do what we do." Kehler’s pride extends to his team, whom he describes as "people who are reaching for something beyond what this synthetic capitalist world we are currently living and traveling in has to offer." He believes their cheeses offer a profound connection: "I like to think that what we offer is the opportunity for consumers and cheese lovers to connect through the consumption of these cheeses that are authentic and connected to place, made by real people." He even offered a personal endorsement, declaring the winning batch of Winnimere "one of the best pieces of cheese he’d eaten."

Andrea Siefring-Robbins’s raw emotion about Urban Stead’s Gouda reflected the deep personal investment involved. "I’m really proud of Scott, but I’m really proud of our affineurs," she stated, her voice tinged with tears, acknowledging the critical role of those who age the cheese. Her hope to "go back [to Cincinnati] and garner the pride for ‘Nati Gouda" speaks to the desire for local recognition and community connection that often drives artisanal producers.

These voices collectively paint a picture of an industry driven by passion, community, and a deep respect for the transformative power of food.

Implications and the Future of American Cheese

The results of the 2026 American Cheese Society Judging & Competition carry significant implications for the winning creameries and the broader American cheese industry.

For Jasper Hill Farm, this repeat Best of Show for Winnimere further solidifies their legendary status. It will undoubtedly boost demand for this already highly sought-after seasonal cheese and reinforce their reputation as innovators and standard-bearers. Their continued success encourages other cheesemakers to aspire to similar levels of quality and to invest in practices that deeply connect their products to their unique environments.

For Blakesville Creamery and Urban Stead Cheese, these accolades mean increased national visibility, opening doors to new markets and consumer bases. For Blakesville, it validates Veronica Pedraza’s bold choice to specialize in sheep’s milk cheeses in a cow-centric state, potentially inspiring others to explore diverse milks and niche markets. For Urban Stead, it’s a powerful testament to perseverance and the successful realization of a vision, establishing Cincinnati as a serious contender in the artisanal cheese world. These wins are crucial for smaller, independent creameries, providing a seal of approval that can significantly impact their growth and sustainability.

More broadly, the competition highlights several key trends in the American cheese industry:

• Growing Diversity: The variety of winning cheeses—from raw cow’s milk washed-rinds to lactic sheep’s milk dusted with exotic peppers, and aged Dutch-style goudas—showcases the incredible breadth of styles and milks now being mastered by American cheesemakers.
• Emphasis on Terroir and Authenticity: The philosophies articulated by Kehler and the Robbinses underscore a strong movement towards creating cheeses that are authentic expressions of their place and the hands that craft them.
• Innovation within Tradition: Cheesemakers are not just replicating European styles but are adapting them, infusing them with American ingenuity, local ingredients, and unique aging techniques.
• Community and Collaboration: The recurring theme of "it takes a village" and the acknowledgment of mentors and affineurs speak to the collaborative spirit that strengthens the artisanal cheese community.

Looking ahead, the American cheese industry is poised for continued growth, driven by consumer demand for high-quality, authentic, and sustainably produced foods. The ACS competition serves as a vital engine for this progress, celebrating achievements, fostering education, and connecting cheesemakers with a discerning public. As American palates become more sophisticated, the stories and flavors brought forth by creameries like Jasper Hill, Blakesville, and Urban Stead will undoubtedly continue to enrich the culinary landscape. The 2026 awards are not just about winning cheeses; they are about the vibrant health and promising future of a thriving artisanal food culture.