Wisconsin leads the Specialty Cheese Movement in the U.S.

With ethnic varieties from Burrata to Asadero to Gruyere, Wisconsin is producing more specialty cheese that any other state. With names like Green Fields, Little Darling, Les Frères and GranQueso, it’s hard to believe these cheeses are artisan-crafted American Originals. But let’s not forget what America's Dairyland is known for - Cheddar. How do you like yours - bandage-wrapped, cave-cured or aged?

Select Award-Winning Artisanal Wisconsin Cheeses

Marieke's Raw Milk Gouda
This farmstead cheese, made in small batches by a Dutch family in Wisconsin, will change the way you think about Gouda. Made from raw milk and piped underground, the gouda is still warm when it gets to the nearby creamery, where it is handcrafted and aged on wooden boards. The result: sweet caramel and full bodied.

Roth Käse Private Reserve
Alpine in style, this washed-rind artisan cheese is usually aged from 18 to 21 months. It is made from raw milk with a flavor of roasted nuts and caramel. Its aroma has been described as "beef bouillon" and cocoa. This cheese placed first in the American Original category for cow's milk, and third overall in the 2007 American Cheese Society competition.

Sartori Bellavitano
A taste of this cheese reveals the translation of its name - the "good life." Northern Italian at its core, Bellavitano has characteristics of Parmesan and Gruyere. It is crumbly with a complex, intense and round flavor, making it a distinctive table cheese.

Wisconsin Farmers Union Montforte Gorgonzola
Drawing inspiration from Italy, this specialty cheese is slightly piquant, mellow and earthy with green veins. It was awarded first prize in the 2007 American Cheese Society's competition for blue-veined cow's milk cheeses. The farmers union, a dairy cooperative, was formed in 1930.

Carr Valley Billy Blue
Wisconsin Master Cheesmaker Sid Cook, the most awarded cheesemaker in America, makes this cheese from the milk of pasture-grazed Wisconsin goats. It is aged for 4 months to develop its distinctive Blue cheese flavor. The Carr family has been making cheese for four generations.

The Cheese Course

Chefs and restaurateurs recognize the cheese course as an integral part of the fine dining experience. From maître fromagers to cheese caves, artisanal and specialty cheeses are a growing trend in the restaurant industry. It not only enhances the overall dining experience, it boosts profits. Pairing wines, ports or beers with a cheese course also helps raise check averages. Cheese courses can range from traditional, a combination of flavors and textures to a cheese flight, showcasing a category of cheese or a vertical cheese course, demonstrating how age can affect cheese