Dairy manufacturers from throughout the state submitted 372 entries for the 2015 Wisconsin State Fair Cheese & Butter Contest, which took place June 25 at Wisconsin State Fair Park. The contest featured 28 classes.

Wisconsin State Fair Cheese

The 2015 Grand Master Cheesemaker, along with this year's other winning cheesemakers, will be recognized during the Blue Ribbon Cheese & Butter Auction on Thursday, Aug. 13 at Wisconsin State Fair Park. The Blue Ribbon Cheese & Butter Auction, which features the sale of the blue-ribbon entries, is a fundraiser for the Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Promotion Board. Auction proceeds fund scholarships for students pursuing dairy-related degrees and support the House of Moo dairy education center, as well as the Wisconsin State Fair Milking Demonstrations.

The top entries in each class include:

Mild Cheddar
Jeff Berg, Land O'Lakes, Kiel, Mild Cheddar, 99.200
Dale Schmidt, Land O'Lakes, Kiel, Mild Cheddar, 98.400
Dan Stearns, Agropur, Weyauwega, Mild Cheddar, 98.000

Aged Cheddar
Terry Lensmire, Agropur, Weyauwega, Aged Cheddar, 99.625
Jeff Berg, Land O'Lakes, Kiel, Aged Cheddar, 99.525
Dale Schmidt, Land O'Lakes, Kiel, Aged Cheddar, 99.375

Colby, Monterey Jack
Kerry Henning, The Artisan Cheese Exchange, Sheboygan, Colby, 99.225
Kirk Hansen, Nasonville Dairy, Marshfield, Colby Jack, 98.525
Dale Schmidt, Land O'Lakes, Kiel, Monterey Jack, 98.500

Swiss Styles
Silvan Blum, Chalet Cheese Co-op, Monroe, Swiss Wheel, 98.925
Neal Schwartz, Chalet Cheese Co-op, Monroe, Swiss Wheel, 98.900
Team Chalet, Chalet Cheese Co-op, Monroe, Baby Swiss Block, 98.350

Brick, Muenster
Gary Grossen, Babcock Hall Dairy Plant, Madison, Brick, 99.825
Dave Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Brick, 99.700
Chad Duhai, Zimmerman Cheese, South Wayne, Muenster 99.600

Mozzarella
George Crave, Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, Waterloo, Part Skim Mozzarella Ball, 98.700
Ben Kolaske, BelGioioso Cheese, Green Bay, Mozzarella Snacking Cheese, 98.675
Terry Lensmire, Agropur, Luxemburg, Low Moisture Mozzarella, 98.600

String Cheese
Cesar Luis, Cesar's Cheese, Columbus, Hand-Stretched String Cheese, 99.250
George Crave, Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, Waterloo, Farmers Rope, 99.100
George Crave, Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, Waterloo, String Cheese, 98.700

Blue Veined Cheese
Team Salemville, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, Reserve Blue Cheese, 99.075
Team Salemville, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, Blue Cheese, 98.875
Team Salemville, Saputo Specialty Cheese, Richfield, Gorgonzola, 98.725

Feta
Jim Demeter, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Feta in Brine, 99.500
Lenny Bass, Lactalis USA, Belmont, Feta Chunk – Plain, 99.425
David Schmidt, Agropur, Weyauwega, Feta, 99.350

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Flavored Pepper Cheese
Heriberto Nickolas, Maple Leaf Cheese Co-op, Monroe, Chipotle White Cheddar, 99.775
Duane Peterson, Arla Dofino, Kaukauna, Jalapeño Havarti, 99.525
Steve Stettler, Decatur Dairy, Brodhead, Pepper Havarti, 99.475

Flavored Soft Cheese
Tony Gessler, Lactalis USA, Merrill, Garlic & Herbs Spread, 98.900
George Crave, Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, Waterloo, Marinated Fresh Mozzarella, 98.850
Lyle Gast, Jr., Lactalis USA, Merrill, Garden Vegetable Spread, 98.800

Flavored Semi-Soft Cheese
John (Randy) Pitman, Mill Creek Cheese, Arena, Caraway Brick, 99.400
John (Randy) Pitman, Mill Creek Cheese, Arena, Caraway Muenster, 99.050
Marieke Penterman, Holland's Family Cheese, Thorp, Gouda Burning Mélange, 99.000

Smoked Flavored Cheese
Wally Hartwig, Zimmerman Cheese, South Wayne, Smoked Brick, 99.575
Tom Jenny, Carr Valley Cheese, Mauston, Smoked Creama Kasa, 99.525
Josh Johnson, Zimmerman Cheese, South Wayne, Smoked Brick, 99.475

Flavored Hard Cheese
Mike Matucheski, Sartori Company, Antigo, Merlot BellaVitano, 99.150
Mike Matucheski, Sartori Company, Antigo, Balsamic BellaVitano, 98.950
Mike Matucheski, Sartori Company, Antigo, Espresso BellaVitano, 98.400

Smear Ripened Cheese
Andy Hatch, Upland's Cheese, Dodgeville, Pleasant Ridge Reserve, 99.350
Team Emmi Roth, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, Grand Cru Reserve, 99.325
Team Emmi Roth, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, Grand Cru Surchoix, 99.000

Cold Pack Cheese, Cheese Food
Joey Widmer, Widmer's Cheese Cellars, Theresa, Aged Brick Spread, 99.625
Phil Lindemann, Pine River Pre-Pack, Newton, Chunky Bleu Flavor Cold Pack, 99.400
Dan Steeno, Pine River Pre-Pack, Newton, Garlic & Herb Cold Pack, 99.300

Pasteurized Process Cheese, Cheese Spread
Process Cheese Team, AMPI, Portage, Pasteurized Process American, 98.700
Process Cheese Team, AMPI, Portage, Pasteurized Process American, 98.000
Dairy Farmers of America, Plymouth, Pasteurized Process American, 97.800

Reduced Fat or Lite Cheese
Jim Demeter, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Reduced Fat Feta Mediterranean, 99.475
William Knox, Maple Leaf Cheese Co-op, Monroe, Low Fat Cheddar, 99.300
Dale Koenig, Foremost Farms USA, Clayton, Smoked Reduced Fat Provolone, 99.250

Open Class – Soft and Spreadable Cheese
Shawn Schult, Lactalis USA, Merrill, Whipped Cream Cheese, 99.325
George Crave, Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, Waterloo, Mascarpone, 99.150
Lenny Bass, Lactalis USA, Belmont, Brie Plain, 98.875

Havarti
Bruce Workman, Edelweiss Creamery, Monticello, Havarti, 99.500
Steve Stettler, Decatur Dairy, Brodhead, Havarti, 98.750
Decatur Dairy Team, Decatur Dairy, Brodhead, Havarti, 98.725

Flavored Havarti
Ben Workman, Edelweiss Creamery, Monticello, Dill Havarti, 98.875
Team Emmi Roth, Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, Jalapeño Havarti, 98.750
Matt Henze, Decatur Dairy, Brodhead, Havarti Dill, 98.450

Open Class – Semi-Soft Cheese
Brett Krattiger, Maple Leaf Cheese, Monroe, Gouda, 99.775
Marieke Penterman, Holland's Family Cheese, Thorp, Golden, 99.725
Brett Krattiger, Maple Leaf Cheese, Monroe, Swedish Fontina Wheel, 99.600

Open Class – Hard Cheese
Joel Pagel, Sartori Company, Antigo, Classic Asiago, 99.450
Mike Matucheski, Sartori Company, Antigo, BellaVitano Gold, 99.425
Saxon Creamery Team, Saxon Cheese, Cleveland, Saxony Alpine, 99.350

Flavored Goat Milk Cheese
Jean Rossard, Montchevre-Betin, Belmont, Blueberry Vanilla, 99.850
Adam Knapp, Woolwich Dairy USA, Lancaster, Cranberry Cinnamon Chevrai, 99.700
Adam Knapp, Woolwich Dairy USA, Lancaster, Wild Blueberry Vanilla Chevrai, 99.500

Natural Goat Milk Cheese
Pam Hodgson, Sartori Company, Plymouth, Extra Aged Goat Cheese, 98.850
Martin Chavez, Montchevre-Betin, Belmont, Cabrie, 98.000
Doug Waechter, Montchevre-Betin, Belmont, Fromage Blanc, 97.950

Latin American Cheese
Sam Sweeney, Chula Vista Cheese, Browntown, Queso Quesadilla, 99.300
Nick Siedschlag, Chula Vista Cheese, Browntown, Queso Quesadilla, 99.100
Chad Duhai, Zimmerman Cheese, South Wayne, Queso Para Fundir, 99.075

Sheep & Mixed Milk Cheese
Mike Matucheski, Sartori Company, Antigo, Pastorale Blend, 99.600
Anna Thomas Bates, Landmark Creamery, Albany, Anabasque, 99.375
Bob Koenig, Carr Valley Cheese, Mauston, Bessie's Blend, 99.350

Butter
Don Much, Grassland Dairy Products, Greenwood, Salted Butter, 99.450
Reedsburg First Shift, Foremost Farms USA, Reedsburg, Salted Butter, 98.950
Team Chaseburg, Organic Valley, LaFarge, European Style Cultured Unsalted Butter, 98.900

Source: Wisconsin State Fair