Marieke Mature Gouda, voted top cheese in the nation

A Wisconsin Gouda has been named the nation's top cheese.

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 semi-hard 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.