Vorarlberg names 2026 cheesemakers of the year
Sunday 20th September 2026 on 11:15 in
Austria
Vorarlberg has named its 2026 cheesemakers of the year, ORF reported, with awards presented on Saturday in Schwarzenberg. Thomas Kaufmann of the Schlins-Röns village dairy won the hard cheese category, while Richard Flatz and his team from Alpenkäse Bregenzerwald took the prize for aged semi-hard cheese.
The public jury selected Andelsbuch dairy’s aged semi-hard cheese as its favourite.
About 1,000 visitors attended the 33rd Vorarlberg Cheese Awards, according to the Chamber of Agriculture. The expert jury included specialists from South Tyrol, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Vorarlberg.
Origin-protected Vorarlberg mountain cheese and alpine cheese were the main focus of the competition. Cheeses from Vorarlberg dairies in the semi-hard and Emmental categories were also assessed. A total of 133 cheeses at different stages of maturation were entered.
The expert jury judged the cheeses on their appearance, texture, colour, holes, aroma and taste. The results were presented at the Angelika Kaufmann Hall, where the Cheesemaker of the Year titles were awarded in the hard cheese and aged semi-hard cheese categories.
State councillor Christian Gantner of the Austrian People’s Party, Chamber of Agriculture Vice-President Andrea Schwarzmann, Vorarlberg Alpine Farming Association Chairman Josef Türtscher and state farmers’ representative Esther Bitschnau presented the certificates and awards.