According to Wade, the California State Fair “Best of California” Cheese Judging has been running for 170 years! California cheesemakers can enter their best cheeses to be judged, with winner recognition offering not only bragging rights, but direct judge feedback and  great marketing exposure, too!

We all love cheese, so we might wonder exactly what a cheese judge does? How many cheeses do they taste each day? Wade provided the scoop: “The judging took place in March. It was an entire day of rapid-fire cheese tasting for about eight hours straight! It was a whirlwind adventure fueled by butterfat and passion.”

“For this judging, there were four panels of three judges each. Each panel would discuss each cheese as we tasted and come up with a score together as a team”, Wade explained. “The experts ranged from people involved in media, wholesale, retail, restaurants and education. The hundreds of competing cheeses were divided into a range of categories separated by age, texture, style, and milk type. There was no limit to how many cheeses could win double gold, that all came down to the quality of each entry. At the end of the judging all double gold and gold cheeses in each category were tasted against each other to decide which would win best in class for the category. After we decided on the best in class cheeses, we placed them all next to each other to decide which cheese would take home best in show.”

How does one analyze cheese so quickly and avoid palate fatigue? “Analyzing cheese is a key part of what we do as cheesemongers at Oliver’s,” Wade explained. “I felt right at home judging these amazing California cheeses with fellow industry leaders. There was one thing all judges shared in common and that was passion and respect for quality cheese. The process itself was fair and efficient, and each cheese presented had equal opportunity to be awarded recognition.”

Reflecting on the Experience

Wade had a fantastic time judging cheese on the California State Fair panel. “Meeting a room full of like-minded cheese loving individuals all gathered together to share a common goal was fantastic! To celebrate and honor the incredible cheeses made in this very special place we get to call home was a very rewarding experience.”

With Oliver’s Gourmet Cheese Department’s commitment to staying current and active with local and regional cheeses, Wade was able to recognize just about everything he tasted blind! For him, the opportunity reinforced his belief that the diverse land and people in California are what make our cheese so outstanding. “We have access to so many biomes that bring different sensory qualities to all the delicious cheese made here,” Wade explains. “What makes us special is having access to so many varieties of cheese inspired by cultures from around the world.”

Wade is passionate about participating in industry events like the California State Fair Cheese Competition for many reasons. “Being involved in industry events, competitions, and training helps Oliver’s Market stay in tune with what’s going on in the artisan cheese industry. Staying connected with other industry leaders, and being involved in the cheese community ultimately leads to us doing everything we can to bring the best possible cheese experience to our customers.”

Along with the benefits of offering our customers true gourmet cheese expertise, our local and state economies also benefit. “Supporting California artisan cheesemakers helps to sustain local agriculture, preserve traditional techniques, and foster innovation in the dairy industry,” Wade said.

Award Winning California Artisan Cheeses! 

For the month of July, you can find these outstanding cheeses at all Oliver’s Market locations. Be sure to ask our talented Gourmet Cheese team members for assistance. They are always happy to assist our customers in finding their new favorite!

• Nicasio Valley Cheese Co San Geronimo, $25.99/lb. (Double Gold)
  • The LaFranchi Family have been raising dairy cows in Nicasio Valley since the early 1900’s. An homage to their Swiss Italian heritage, San Geronimo is a cross between the classic melting cheeses Fontina and Raclette. The aromas are bold, but the flavors are well-rounded full of bready notes, and sweet cream.
• Nicasio Valley Cheese Co Nicasio Reserve, $25.99/lb. (Gold Medal)
  • Aged for at least 5 months, Nicasio Reserve is heavily inspired by classic Swiss-Italian mountain cheese. The flavor profile boasts rich qualities, nutty tones, and a gentle acidity on the finish.
• Nicasio Valley Cheese Co Jalapeño Foggy Morning, $19.99/lb. (Double Gold Medal)
  • Now available with jalapeno, Foggy Morning is an organic fresh cheese with a bright tangy flavor. Without being overly spicy, there’s just enough heat to add a little kick to these mildly delicious rounds of fresh cheese.
• Cowgirl Creamery Wagon Wheel Reserve, $25.99/lb. (Double Gold)
  • Cowgirl Creamery’s Wagon Wheel is a local, Raclette inspired, semi-soft cheese with a delicate texture and great depth in the flavor profile. The reserve wheels are aged out longer with great care to perfection, leading to more complexity in the taste experience. Hints of browned butter and heavy cream caress the palate, complimented by subtle nutty notes throughout each bite.
• Cowgirl Creamery Red Hawk, $25.99/lb. (Gold Medal)
  • Bold and buttery, Cowgirl Creamery’s Red Hawk blends the best of both worlds by washing the rind of a triple cream brie. Vegetal aromas fill the air, and notes of umami and heavy cream overwhelm the palate with each bite.
• Marin French Cheese Triple Crème Brie, $9.99/lb. (Gold Medal)
  • Marin French Cheese Company, oldest continuously operating creamery in the United States, has won numerous awards for their decadent Triple Creme Brie. With a rich and smooth texture, slightly sweet flavor and blooming with fluffy white rind, Marin French Triple Crème Brie expresses the high quality milk from neighboring Marin County dairies.
• Pennyroyal Farm Laychee, 6 oz. Package, $11.99/ea. (Best of California)
  • Made with care in small batches by woman-owned Pennyroyal Farm, this simple yet elegant fresh chevre has a luxuriously soft texture, a rich flavor profile, and a pleasantly tangy finish full of citrus notes.
• Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company Quinta, $25.99/lb. (Best of Show)
  • Wrapped in spruce bark and topped with bay leaves, this striking bloomy-rind cheese develops a decadently spoonable texture as it matures. During the ripening process, the spruce bark that’s gently wrapped around each wheel imparts a woodsy note into the cheese, adding additional layers of complexity to the flavor profile.
• Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company Toma, $19.99/lb. (Double Gold Medal)
  • With a creamy semi-soft texture, a mild and milky flavor, and a gentle tang on the finish, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company’s Toma is a versatile table cheese with limitless potential. Serve on a cheese and charcuterie board, enjoy as a snack, or melt into your favorite dishes.
• Laura Chenel Goat Brie, 5 oz. Package, $9.99/ea. (Gold Medal)
  • One of the original California goat’s milk cheesemakers, Laura Chenel’s goat brie is a precious little round of cheese with a delightfully creamy texture. It’s slightly grassy and nutty flavor profile is perfectly balanced out with a finish reminiscent of tangy lemon.

Be sure to check out our amazing line up of California State Fair winning artisan cheeses all month long at Oliver’s, and don’t hesitate to ask questions or request a sample of something from our knowledgeable team.