What's the World's Best Cheese? Verdict Is In

(March 19) -- The verdict is in, and the best cheese of 2010 is a Gruyère made by Cedric Fragniere of Switzerland.

The Swiss cheese was selected by an international panel of expert judges at the World Championship Cheese Contest in Madison, Wis., emerging from more than 2,300 entries in what organizers called the largest international cheese competition ever held.

"It's very smooth, it's aromatic and it has a very clean cheese flavor. It has a burst of flavor, and then it settles down very nicely in the mouth," judge Bill Schlinsog said about the winner.

Andy Manis, AP

Judges pose for a photo after a Gruyere by Cedric Fragniere of Switzerland won the top prize at the 2010 World Championship Cheese Contest in Madison, Wis., Thursday.

Another judge called the Gruyère sweet, with hints of herbs.

To dairy enthusiasts, fine cheese has all the complexity of wine, combining elements of craftsmanship and agriculture into a nuanced, or powerful, gourmet food. At the contest, judges scored the cheeses for their flavor, body texture and color.

By the numbers, U.S. cheese makers were the big winners of the competition, taking home gold medals in 51 out of 79 categories. Host state Wisconsin won 21 gold medals, besting rival California, which trailed with four medals.

United States cheese making, along with other forms of artisanal food production, has been going through a renaissance over the past decade or so as American palates change and producers gain new avenues of distribution through farmers' markets and stores like Whole Foods.

Membership in the American cheese society tripled from 2001 to 2008, according to Reuters. For small dairy farmers, cheese is a value-added product that can allow for slightly thicker profit margins, in addition to not necessarily going bad after a few weeks.

Europeans still dominated the top three slots in the top category, with another Swiss cheese coming in second and an Austrian in third place. The Swiss lead the world consumption as well, setting a record in 2009 with 21.4 kilograms (47 pounds) per person per year.