Wisconsin Gouda named nation's top cheese

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Marieke Penterman of Holland's Family Cheese in Thorp, Wis., won the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest in Green Bay Wednesday with her Marieke Mature Gouda.

Out of a possible 100 points, Marieke Gouda scored 98.31 in the final round of judging.

First runner-up was Tarentaise, a semihard alpine cheese made by Spring Brook Farm/Farms For City Kids Foundation in Reading, Vt. Second runner-up was Medium Cheddar, made by Team Cracker Barrel Natural Cheese, Agropur Weyauwega for Kraft Foods in Glenview, Ill.

More than 1,700 cheeses were entered, including pepper-flavored, smoked and sheep cheeses.

Wisconsin captured the most gold medals, with 47 of the 81 categories judged. Vermont and New York came in second, with six gold medals each.