--- title: "The Taste of a Winner: World Cheese Awards 2026 Top 14" description: Meet the World Cheese Awards 2026 Top 14, discover the remarkable three-way tie won by a 24-month Comté, and explore what makes a cheese memorable. image: https://www.cheeseorbit.com/hubfs/Canva%20images/Comte%20Cheese.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/cheese-bites/the-taste-of-a-winner-world-cheese-awards-2026-top-14#main-content) [![Cheese Orbit logo](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/hs-fs/hubfs/cheeseorbit-logo.webp?width=90&height=90&name=cheeseorbit-logo.webp)Homepage](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/?hsLang=en) - About - [Cheese Orbit](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/about/cheese-orbit/?hsLang=en) - [Andreea Popa](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/about/andreea-popa?hsLang=en) - [Courses](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/courses?hsLang=en) - [Academy of Cheese Level 1](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/courses/academy-of-cheese-level-1?hsLang=en) - [Academy of Cheese Level 2](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/courses/academy-of-cheese-level-2?hsLang=en) - [Resources](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/en-gb/resources?hsLang=en) - [Guides & Ebooks](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/en-gb/resources?hsLang=en) - [Blog](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/cheese-bites) - [Contact](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/contact?hsLang=en) English Select a language ✕ - [Română - România](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/ro-ro/cheese-bites/the-taste-of-a-winner-world-cheese-awards-2026-top-14) - [English](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/cheese-bites/the-taste-of-a-winner-world-cheese-awards-2026-top-14) [Study cheese](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/courses?hsLang=en) - About - [Cheese Orbit](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/about/cheese-orbit/?hsLang=en) - [Andreea Popa](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/about/andreea-popa?hsLang=en) - [Courses](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/courses?hsLang=en) - [Academy of Cheese Level 1](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/courses/academy-of-cheese-level-1?hsLang=en) - [Academy of Cheese Level 2](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/courses/academy-of-cheese-level-2?hsLang=en) - [Resources](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/en-gb/resources?hsLang=en) - [Guides & Ebooks](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/en-gb/resources?hsLang=en) - [Blog](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/cheese-bites) - [Contact](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/contact?hsLang=en) [Study cheese](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/courses?hsLang=en) English Select a language - [Română - România](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/ro-ro/cheese-bites/the-taste-of-a-winner-world-cheese-awards-2026-top-14) - [English](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/cheese-bites/the-taste-of-a-winner-world-cheese-awards-2026-top-14) ![](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Canva%20images/Comte%20Cheese.jpg?width=1530&height=1020&name=Comte%20Cheese.jpg) Cheese Styles # The Taste of a Winner: World Cheese Awards 2026 Top 14 ![Andreea Popa](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Jimmy-1.jpg?width=48&height=48&name=Jimmy-1.jpg) Andreea Popa November 13, 2026 The World Cheese Awards are by far the most anticipated and sought-after cheese awards on the international calendar. This year, the top 14 cheeses were really varied. We're talking about a 24-month Comté, a blue cheese made from goat's milk, a sheep's cheese from Portugal, some Parmigiano Reggiano, and Spanish curados. What's interesting is that these cheeses come from different places, are made with different types of milk, and are produced using different methods, but they all ended up on the same table, competing against each other. You wouldn't normally find these particular cheeses side by side in a cheese shop, and it's even more unlikely that they'd be judged by top cheese experts all in one afternoon. This is what makes the final of this year worth taking a closer look, with a different lens.  **In brief** The World Cheese Awards 2026 Top 14 reveals that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to creating a prize-winning cheese. But what we can learn from these winners is what sets a great cheese apart: it's all about getting the basics right, like proper aging, and having a unique character. A good cheese should also have plenty of flavor, texture, and balance to make it stand out, even when compared to very different cheeses. This balance is key to making a lasting impression. The World Cheese Awards 2026 brought 5,330 cheeses to Córdoba, Spain. Of those, 108 received Super Gold awards and just 14 reached the final. A 24-month Comté was crowned World Champion after a three-way tie. Looking at the finalists, we can see how different styles, maturation approaches and cheesemaking traditions can produce outstanding results. **Contents** - [The cheeses that reached the final table](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/cheese-bites/the-taste-of-a-winner-world-cheese-awards-2026-top-14#final-table) - [What the finalist cheeses had in common, and what they did not](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/cheese-bites/the-taste-of-a-winner-world-cheese-awards-2026-top-14#things-in-common) - [**How a 24-month Comté won a three-way tie**](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/cheese-bites/the-taste-of-a-winner-world-cheese-awards-2026-top-14#three-way-tie) - [What the Top 14 tell us about the taste of a winner](https://www.cheeseorbit.com/cheese-bites/the-taste-of-a-winner-world-cheese-awards-2026-top-14#taste-of-a-winner) ## **The cheeses that reached the final table** This year's competition took place in Córdoba, Spain, where 270 judges assessed 5,330 cheeses from 45 countries. Their task was to evaluate appearance, aroma, body, texture, flavour and mouthfeel, with flavour and mouthfeel carrying particular weight in the judging. After the first round, 108 cheeses were awarded Super Gold. These were tasted again by the international Super Jury, whose 14 members each selected one cheese for the final. All 14 finalists then returned to the table for one last assessment. Here is the complete list, with the scores published by the [Guild of Fine Food.](https://gff.co.uk) | Cheese | Producer | Country | Score | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **Comté Fort des Rousses 24 Months** WORLD CHAMPION | Fromageries Arnaud | France | **81** | | Ossau-Iraty | Agour | France | 81 | | Le Gruyère AOP réserve from village dairy Rossens | Gourmino | Switzerland | 81 | | Erborinato di Capra | Latteria Sociale Di Cameri | Italy | 79 | | Queijo de Ovelha Curado – SoalheirAlves | Joaquim António Duarte Alves & Filhos | Portugal | 79 | | Curado Fuente La Sierra | Quesaria Fuente La Sierra | Spain | 78 | | KALTBACH Appenzeller | Emmi Group | Switzerland | 77 | | Riserva del Fondatore Special Edition | Caseificio Il Fiorino | Italy | 76 | | Stärnächäs Extra 10 | Affineur Walo von Mühlenen | Switzerland | 76 | | Tomme Agnès | Gourmino | Switzerland | 75 | | Queso Curado de Cabra con Flores Comestibles | Queronsa | Spain | 73 | | Parmigiano reggiano DOP 30 Months | Consorzio Gourm.it | Italy | 73 | | Queso de Oveja Viejo El Roble De Campollano | Food Manchegos | Spain | 72 | | Blu notte – La Fossa dell’Abbondanza | Italian Food Hunters Artisanal National Cheese Team | Italy | 68 | Source: [Guild of Fine Food — World Cheese Awards 2026 Official Results](https://gff.co.uk/for-producers/world-cheese-awards/world-cheese-awards-2026-top-14-cheeses/). Switzerland and Italy each claimed four places in the final, followed by Spain with three, France with two and Portugal with one.  There are long-matured mountain cheeses, blues, sheep's milk cheeses, goat's milk cheeses and even a Spanish cheese decorated with edible flowers. The list also includes a 30-month Parmigiano Reggiano, a cheese with a very different texture and flavour profile from the soft, torta-style Portuguese sheep's cheese that finished on 79 points. I'd happily spend a long afternoon working my way through this particular selection. ## **What the finalist cheeses had in common, and what they did not** One of the first things that caught my attention was how often maturity appeared among the finalists. Comté, Gruyère and Parmigiano Reggiano are particularly interesting examples, because they show just how much can happen inside a cheese over many months. As cheeses mature, enzymes break down proteins into smaller peptides and amino acids, while changes in moisture and other biochemical processes gradually reshape their texture and flavour. In a well-matured Comté or Parmigiano Reggiano, this can bring deeper savoury notes, complex aromas and changes in the structure of the paste. Depending on the cheese, you might also encounter those little crystals that add another dimension to the texture. Twenty-four months is a considerable amount of time for a cheese to develop its character. But anyone who has tasted a disappointing mature cheese knows that time doesn't necessarily improve everything. Twenty-four months on the label is one thing. Twenty-four months of good maturation is quite another. And then there are cheeses such as Erborinato di Capra, an Italian goat's milk blue, or the Portuguese sheep's cheese with its soft, torta-style character. Here, maturity invites us to consider different qualities: the development of the paste, moisture, texture and the particular balance of flavours that belongs to each style. Place has its part to play as well, although it's rarely as straightforward as tasting a cheese and identifying the pasture it came from. Milk composition, microbial activity, local cheesemaking practices and maturation conditions all contribute to the final result. So do the decisions made by the cheesemaker and affineur, right up to the moment the cheese is considered ready. Looking at this year's finalists, I find the differences between them every bit as interesting as their shared qualities. There are so many ways to make a remarkable cheese, and this final brought quite a few of them together. ## **How a 24-month Comté won a three-way tie** Comté Fort des Rousses 24 Months, from Fromageries Arnaud, was named World Champion Cheese 2026 after finishing on exactly the same score as Ossau-Iraty from Agour and an 18-month Le Gruyère AOP from Gourmino. All three received **81 points out of a possible 98** from the Super Jury. Three cheeses, three different expressions of their respective cheesemaking traditions, and nothing between them on the final score sheet. The competition's tie-break rules were needed to decide the winner. The highest and lowest individual scores for each cheese were removed, and the revised totals were compared. The Comté came out on top. The winning cheese was matured at Fort des Rousses in the Haut-Jura, a former military fortress now home to an extensive network of Comté maturation cellars. Its thick stone walls and stable conditions provide an environment in which the cheeses can develop slowly, under the care of experienced affineurs. At 24 months, Comté can develop wonderful aromatic complexity, with concentrated savoury flavours and a texture that reflects its long maturation. Yet there's always a balance to be struck. Too much intensity, excessive saltiness or an unpleasant texture can spoil the pleasure, however impressive the age on the label. Rafael Domínguez González, the Super Jury member who selected the winning Comté, spoke enthusiastically about its complexity and the way its nutty, savoury flavours continued to develop in the mouth, as [reported by the Guild of Fine Food](https://gff.co.uk/articles/2026/11/battle-of-the-french-and-swiss-classics-sees-comte-triumph-at-world-cheese-awards-in-spain/). What an extraordinary way to finish a competition involving 5,330 cheeses. Three finalists on 81 points, with the title eventually decided by a rarely needed tie-break procedure. ## **What the Top 14 tell us about the taste of a winner** When I look at this year's finalists, three qualities keep coming to mind: identity, balance and memorability. A cheese with a clear identity makes sense from the moment you examine it to the last impression it leaves on your palate. Its texture belongs to its style, its aromas invite you to discover more, and its flavour develops as you taste it. Sometimes you know almost immediately what to expect. Other times, a cheese takes you somewhere quite unexpected. Balance is another interesting one, because it can be misunderstood as a requirement for everything to be mild or restrained. A blue cheese can be wonderfully assertive, an aged mountain cheese intensely savoury, and a mature sheep's cheese rich and full-flavoured. What matters is how the different sensations work together. Salt, acidity, bitterness, sweetness, richness and the length of flavour all contribute to the experience. And then there's memorability, which I find particularly interesting. Some cheeses make you want another piece simply because you feel there's still something to discover. Perhaps it's a texture you hadn't expected, an aroma that develops slowly or a flavour that takes an interesting turn after the first mouthful. I suspect most people who enjoy cheese have a few of these tucked away in their memory. A cheese tasted on holiday, one discovered at a market, or a small piece offered by a cheesemonger that turned out to be far more interesting than you expected. Years later, you may have forgotten its exact name or how long it was matured, but you can still remember how much you enjoyed eating it. Last year, I was at the judging tables in Bern. This year, I missed Córdoba, but I certainly didn't miss the livestream, which gave me the chance to see and hear my fellow judges making decisions that were sometimes far from easy. I do know, from judging, how difficult it can be to turn a mouthful of exceptional cheese into a single number. A texture can catch you off guard, a flavour can take its time to unfold, and occasionally you find yourself looking at the remaining piece because one taste wasn't quite enough. The Comté has its trophy, but that three-way tie has made me curious about all three. I was already wondering where I might find them, but [Chiswick Cheese Market](https://www.chiswickcheesemarket.uk) announced that the winning Comté will be at the market this Sunday, 15 November. Well, that was quick! 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