Top 6 Oceanian Semi-hard Cheeses

Meyer Cheese, based in Hamilton, is a family-run company that specializes in producing artisan Gouda cheese. The company, established by the Meyer family who emigrated from the Netherlands, utilizes traditional Dutch cheesemaking methods. Meyer Cheese has been awarded multiple times for their products at the New Zealand Champions of Cheese Awards.Expand

Etzy Ketzy is an Australian cheese hailing from Woodside. The cheese is made with a blend of pasteurized Friesian cow’s milk and goat’s milk in equal measure. This seasonal cheese is only made in the winter and it’s left to age from 2 to 4 weeks. At 2 weeks, it’s slightly firm, but at 4 weeks it’s fully mature, with clean and herbal aromas and creamy, smooth, earthy, nutty, intense, and herbaceous flavors. Underneath its washed rind, the texture is soft, smooth, and creamy. Etzy Ketzy has won many awards, including a gold medal at the Sydney Australian Specialty Cheesemakers Competition in 2006.Expand

Chelsea Blue is an Australian cheese hailing from Mornington Peninsula, Melbourne, where it’s produced by BoatShed Cheese. This blue cheese is made from pasteurized cow’s milk and it uses Roquefort spores in order to develop sweet, salty, and nutty flavors. The texture is crumbly, while the aromas are sweet and nutty. It’s recommended to serve Chelsea Blue with fresh salads, crackers, and fresh bread, or use it in risottos. Pair it with a glass of dessert wine.Expand

Grabetto is an Australian semi-hard cheese hailing from Victoria, where it’s produced by Yarra Valley Dairy. The cheese is made from limited-quantity goat’s milk and it’s sold in three versions: fresh, semi-mature, and mature. Underneath its bloomy ash-dusted rind, the texture of this small conical cheese is crumbly, chalky, and flaky. The aromas are herbaceous and grassy, while the flavors range from nutty when young to tangy and sharp as it ages. Grabetto is mainly used as a table cheese.Expand

Black Pearl is an Australian cheese produced in the region of Mornington Peninsula, Melbourne. The cheese is made from goat's milk and has a wrinkly rind that's dusted with vine ash. Unlike its exterior, the interior is snow-white, oozy, creamy, and silky. The flavors are milky, sweet, and much milder than most other goat cheeses. Black Pearl is aged for 1 to 2 weeks. When young, it's fresh and light, but as it ages, the flavors become more robust.Expand

Meyer Vintage Gouda is a New Zealander cheese made from cow's milk. It's produced by Ben and Fieke Meyer, a Dutch couple that settled in Waikato and set up a farm to make this cheese. The cheese is hard and crumbly with a nice crunch. The flavors are sharp, spicy, and nutty, and after tasting it, it stays on the palate for a while. This Gouda is aged for a minimum of 12 months, hence the word vintage in its name. Interestingly, Meyer Vintage Gouda won the award for cheese of the decade at the New Zealand Cheese Awards.Expand

Mandolin is an Australian semi-hard cheese made from pasteurized cow’s milk. The cheese is smear-ripened and wrapped in vine until it develops a typical rusty-red visual appearance. Its texture is supple, soft, and crumbly, while the flavors are best described as herbal and grassy.Expand