Le Gruyère AOP Is Officially the Best Cheese in the World

The 2025 Mondial du Fromage took place in mid-September in Tours, France, bringing together the global cheese trade for celebration, exposition, and competition. The multi-day event featured a trade show, juried tastings, and a contest among the world’s top cheesemongers.

“The artisan cheese world is more of a global village,” says Adam Jay Moskowitz, president of New York’s Maker to Monger and coach for Team U.S.A. “Cheese is a great master, and so Mondial is one of those experiences where the village gets together. It’s an intimate, earnest, beautiful few days.”

Historic wins for Team U.S.A.

This year, Switzerland’s Le Gruyère AOP Vieux, crafted by Simon Miguet of Fromagerie La Côte-aux-Fées, earned Best in Show among more than 1,900 submissions. While the cheese has long been a top contender at international competitions, history was made on the cheesemonger side: for the first time, Americans took both gold and bronze.

Representing Team U.S.A., Emilia D’Albero of Formaticum and Courtney Johnson of Seattle’s Street Cheese became the first all-female American team in the competition, which drew 18 candidates from 14 countries, including Algeria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, China, France, Italy, Japan, Peru, Spain, and Switzerland. D’Albero also became the first American to win gold; France’s Matthieu Thuillier took silver.

Similar to the Bocuse d’Or for chefs, “the Mondial du Fromage is essentially the worldwide cheesemonger Olympics,” says D’Albero. “It’s a platform for high-level cheesemongering techniques to be showcased to the entire trade, and for mongers from around the world to show off their skills and represent their country’s cheese industry.”

Inside the Olympics of cheesemongering

Comparable to Olympic gymnastics in its rigor, the contest tested every aspect of cheesemongering. “The challenges encompass every aspect of cheesemongering, from general knowledge, to blind tasting, to making exact cuts by weight, to service and presentation,” says Johnson.

Moskowitz, who has coached the U.S. team since 2013, credits D’Albero’s and Johnson’s passion and preparation. After winning the Masters at the Cheesemonger Invitational (CMI) in March to earn the right to represent the U.S. in France, they devoted about 20 hours a week to training.

“We’re talking like 20 hours a week,” says Moskowitz. “It’s like taking a part-time job,” he adds, on top of the full-time jobs in cheese that both D’Albero and Johnson maintained throughout the year.

Having two Americans on the podium marked a breakthrough. “We have always been viewed as underdogs in the global cheese community,” says Johnson. “Being awarded first and third place at Mondial was not only a win for the U.S.A., but a win for all women in cheese.”

“We had an overwhelming amount of support from the U.S. cheese community and beyond, and we simply could not have achieved this without our people behind us,” D’Albero adds. “It was an immense honor to represent the U.S. cheese industry on the world stage and prove that American cheesemongers are skilled, creative, and capable.”

Why Le Gruyère AOP keeps winning

Le Gruyère AOP itself has long dominated international contests. Prior to this year’s win, it had been named Best in Show five times at the World Cheese Awards since 1992 and three times at the World Championship Cheese Contest. Made from raw cow’s milk within strict geographical boundaries, it is protected by the Interprofessional du Gruyère’s standards.

“Le Gruyère AOP is not just another cheese,” says Denis Kaser, the organization’s international marketing manager. “It represents centuries of tradition, carried on by our farmers, cheesemakers, and affineurs. Everything is tied to our region and our know-how, which makes it impossible to copy.”

The cheese is also a favorite of D’Albero, Johnson, and Moskowitz. “Le Gruyère AOP consistently scores higher than other cheeses because of the rigorous taxation scheme that leads to minimal technical imperfections,” says D’Albero. “The high quality of the raw materials, the expertise of the makers, and the Swiss passion for excellence result in a cheese that is consistently delicious and technically sound, yet varies wildly in flavor from maker to maker.”

“Depending on the age, you can get a different experience from lactic, sour cream flavors, to salty garlic with umami, meaty, and brothy notes. It’s a perfect cheese because it’s welcome at any time of day. It’s good on its own. It’s good on a sandwich. It’s meant to be melted,” Moskowitz said, highlighting its versatility.

Tariffs threaten the world’s best cheese

The win also comes at a critical moment for Le Gruyère AOP. “Tariffs are about to destroy Gruyère in the U.S.,” says Moskowitz, noting that Swiss products face a 39% tariff on top of an existing 10%. 

Complicating matters, the generic use of “gruyère” in the U.S. allows domestic producers to flood the market under the name. “The word ‘gruyère’ has been allowed to be used out of context,” Moskowitz explains. “Le Gruyère AOP is a protected cheese from Switzerland, but the word ‘gruyère’ by itself in the U.S. is like ‘cheddar,’ and the market is about to be flooded with domestic gruyère.”

While American artisanal cheeses have their own celebrated history, Moskowitz insists, “If you want to experience gruyère’s glory, Le Gruyère AOP is what you want. That’s the gruyère you’re looking for.”