Hay Milk® Cheese
Specialities | Seasonal
Raw sausage | Game
Pleasure boxes
Enjoyment in Sub
News
From the Alps to America: Rehmer Sennhus is taking part in the World Championship Cheese Contest 2026 USA
From a Vorarlberg Alpine Village to America: Rehmer Sennhus Aims for the Crown at the 2026 World Championship Cheese Contest
It is February 2026. In the cool, humid aging cellars of Rehmer Sennhus in Au, located in the heart of the Bregenzerwald, there is a very special atmosphere – a blend of proud serenity and crackling anticipation.
While the snow outside blankets the peaks of the Toten Gebirge and the Kanisfluh, we are preparing two very special ambassadors of our homeland for their long journey.
Their destination: Madison, Wisconsin, the “Dairyland” of the USA. From March 3rd to 5th, 2026, the World Championship Cheese Contest (WCCC) will take place – the most prestigious technical cheese competition in the world.
This year, we are competing with two 25 kg (55 lbs) masterpieces that perfectly reflect our craftsmanship: our Rehmer Bergkäse (aged 4 months) and its bolder brother, the Rehmer Bergkäse (aged 9 months).
An Alpine Village in the Global Spotlight: What is the WCCC?
The World Championship Cheese Contest has been hosted since 1957 by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA). It is not a simple public vote but a rigorous technical evaluation by an international jury of experts. Over 3,000 entries from more than 25 countries compete in over 100 categories for Gold, Silver, and Bronze.
For us in the Bregenzerwald, participation is more than just marketing. It is the ultimate stress test for our philosophy of Hay MilkHay milk comes from cows that are fed exclusively with fresh grassland feed, hay and little grain. » More info TSG (Traditional Speciality Guaranteed).
Here, we meet the giants from Switzerland, the Cheddar masters from the USA, and the Gouda experts from the Netherlands. The fact that a small cheese cellarThe alpine cheese is best located in a cellar with high humidity. » More info from Au is competing at this level shows the immense power of our small-scale, sustainable agriculture.
Our Athletes: 4-Month Freshness Meets 9-Month Depth
This year, we deliberately chose two maturation stages that optimally cover the spectrum of our Alpine Mountain Cheese tradition.
https://alpensepp.shop/cheese/mountain-cheese-mild-4-months/1. The Rising Star: Rehmer Bergkäse, Aged 4 Months
This cheese is the epitome of Alpine spring. After only four months in the cellar, the paste is still supple and elastic. In terms of flavor, it impresses with a mild, creamy note subtly reminiscent of fresh mountain herbs and buttercups.
It is a favorite for those who appreciate the delicate aroma of raw milkThe cheese is made from fresh milk, which was not treated at the beginning of the cheese making process (raw milk). It is almost as it comes from the cow's udder. » More info without being overwhelmed by intense spice. In Madison, it competes in the young hard cheeseThe Vorarlberger Bergkäse (mountain cheese) is a regional cheese specialty from the Austrian province Vorarlberg. » More info category – a field where precision and purity of flavor determine victory or defeat.
2. The Character Piece: Rehmer Bergkäse, Aged 9 Months
This is where the Bregenzerwald shows its strength. With nine months of aging, this wheel has clearly crossed the threshold into savory, spicy territory.
It is the ideal “all-rounder”: the structure becomes firmer, the first fine tyrosine crystals may begin to form, and the aroma becomes nutty, savory, and profound.
It carries the soul of the mountain summer within it, concentrated through daily care with salt brine in the aging cellar.
This cheese must convince the jury through its balance – the power of the spice must never overshadow the delicate nuances of the milkCheese milk is the milk intended for the production of cheese, also with the concomitant use of buttermilk products, cream products, sweet whey, sour whey and whey cream (whey cream) » More info.
A Look Back: Our Footprints in Wisconsin’s History
Our 2026 participation is not our first appearance on the “big stage” in Madison. Looking back at our previous journeys to the USA fills us with pride – and a bit of a smile regarding the cultural differences in the cheese world.
The 2024 Sensation: 99.05 Points!
Two years ago, at the WCCC 2024, we experienced one of our greatest triumphs. Our mild, 4-month-old Bergkäse achieved an incredible score of 99.05 out of 100 possible points. This placed us among the absolute world elite. The judges praised the extraordinary purity and harmonious mouthfeel of our cheese.
However, our US experiences also taught us humility. Our 12-month-old Bergkäse received a point deduction back then – for a “spotted” cheese rindTo protect the cheese wheel, it is put into salt bath or turned into dry salt. The salt removes water from the cheese and it dries faster. So the rind is formed. » More info. What is highly desirable to us is apparently viewed differently by American technical experts.
What our customers love as a sign of authenticity and traditional cellar aging (the rustic, dark naturalHere in Austria, we call our fresh, natural milk for our cheese production hay milk (hay mild standard) - in Germany it is different. » More info rind) is often viewed more critically in technical evaluations in the USA.
There, the preference is often for a flawless, almost “clinical” appearance. For us, this was a clear signal: We stay true to our tradition! We do not treat our rinds for the sake of the competition, as it is exactly this rind that protects the interior and allows the cheese to breathe. The fact that we still reached 97.5 points despite this deduction speaks volumes about the qualityDetecting cheese defects and quality - on the cheese dough. Recognizing cheese defects requires some practice. » More info inside the wheel.
The Beginnings in 2018
We first ventured across the pond in 2018. Back then, everything was new: customs formalities, FDA registration, climate-controlled shipping of the heavy wheels, and the uncertainty of how our Bregenzerwald Bergkäse would be received in the USA. The result was clear: the quality of Vorarlberg Hay Milk is a universal language understood everywhere.
Why Wisconsin? A Comparison of Cultures
One often wonders: Why Wisconsin? This US state calls itself “America’s Dairyland.” Wisconsin’s history is closely linked to European immigrants – Swiss, Germans, and Italians brought their cheesemaking culturesMold cultures are aroma-forming noble molds that grow on the surface (white noble mold) or inside a cheese (blue and green mold). » More info with them in the 19th century.
While we in the Bregenzerwald rely on our silo-free Hay Milk (no fermented fodder), US production is often dominated by large-scale farms. This is exactly why the interest in our “Artisan Cheese” (traditionally handcrafted cheese) is so massive in Madison.
The experts there know exactly that the flavor of our Rehmer Bergkäse depends directly on the herbs of the Alpine meadows and the hard work of our master cheesemakers, Christof Schneider and Florian Berchtold.
The Path to the Contest: The Logistics of Passion
A full wheel of Bergkäse weighs approximately 25 kilograms. Getting it to Madison undamaged is a logistical feat – handled flawlessly by Schenker. The wheels are shipped chilled to ensure the cold chain is never broken. Any rise in temperature could accelerate maturation and distort the delicate aroma before the judges cast their verdict.
Once in Madison, the cheeses are stored in a massive cold storage facility at Holland Cold Storage before being presented on the judging tables at the Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center. There, they are cored, sampled, smelled, and tasted. It’s all about texture, color, aroma, and – of course – flavor.
What Does This Mean for You as a Shop Visitor?
When you order a piece of 4-month or 9-month Rehmer Bergkäse from our shop, you are holding a piece of world-class quality in your hands.
- Quality Without Compromise: Our competition wheels are not special editions. They are the exact same cheeses we care for daily in our Sennhus and ship to you.
- Transparency: We participate in these competitions to constantly improve. The feedback from international judges flows directly into our daily work.
- A Piece of History: With every bite, you participate in the journey our cheeses have taken – from the steep slopes of the Bregenzerwald to the modern exhibition halls of the USA.
The Goal for 2026: A New Milestone?
Our goal for 2026 is clear: We want to prove that consistency is the true art of cheesemaking. After our great success in 2024, expectations are high. But at Rehmer Sennhus, we remain down-to-earth.
We know that every batch of milk is different, and every summer has its own nuances. That is the beauty of a natural product like Bergkäse.
We invite you to cross your fingers for us! In a few weeks, the results from Madison will arrive. Will we break the 99-point mark? Will the 9-month cheese blow the jury away with its mature spice?
Be part of this adventure. Bring the competition candidates into your homeRipened cheese likes it cool and moist. The best is a temperature of about 8-10 ° C at about 90% humidity. » More info and host your own “private jury.” Compare the mild charm of the 4-month-old with the deep wisdom of the 9-month-old.
PS: Would you like us to notify you as soon as the official World Championship results are in this March? Simply sign up for our newsletter.
