Top 12 Canadian Washed Rind Cheeses

Fromagerie Bergeron is a cheese producer based in Quebec, Canada. It specializes in producing Gouda-style cheeses and offers a variety of flavors, including spiced and smoked versions. The company emphasizes traditional cheese-making methods while incorporating modern techniques to enhance production efficiency and sustainability.Expand

Fromagerie Nouvelle France, located in Racine, Quebec, specializes in producing high-quality French-inspired cheeses. It was established by the sister duo, Marie-Chantal Houde and Marie-Claude Harvey in 2009. The fromagerie is best known for its award-winning sheep's milk cheese, particularly the Zacharie Cloutier, which has a distinct nutty flavor and semi-firm texture. The facility focuses on artisanal cheese production techniques while emphasizing sustainable practices, including sourcing milk exclusively from their own farm.Expand

Le Douanier is a Canadian semi-soft cheese produced in Quebec by master cheese maker Fritz Kaiser since 2000. It's made from pasteurized cow's milk. The cheese has a washed and brushed rind, and it matures for about 9 weeks. Its texture is smooth and supple, filled with small eyes, and there is a layer of vegetable ash running through the middle. The aromas are earthy, milky, and rustic, while the flavors are creamy, mild, and reminiscent of green apples and nuts with aging. The line of ash in the middle symbolizes the Lacolle border crossing between Quebec and the US, and the name of the cheese means customs officer. Le Douanier has won the Grand Champion award at the Canadian Chese Grand Prix in 2004.Expand

La Sauvagine is a soft Canadian triple-cream cheese hailing from Quebec. It's made from cow's milk and has a washed rind. The texture is creamy, supple, buttery, and runny, while the flavors are fresh and buttery, with hints of mushrooms. La Sauvagine is named after migratory birds such as geese, ducks, and teals that cover the Quebec sky in the fall. It's recommended to pair this cheese with a glass of IPA beer, and serve it with cumin bread.Expand

Le Reflet de Portneuf is a Canadian cheese hailing from Quebec. The cheese is made from a combination of pasteurized cow's milk and cream. Underneath its washed rind, the texture is soft, buttery, and creamy. The flavors are creamy, mushroomy, and buttery. It's recommened to pair it with a bottle of IPA or a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. This cheese has won many awards, including a silver medal at the World Cheese Awards in 2016.Expand

Mamirolle is a semi-soft cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk that was first made in 1935 by students of the Ecole Nationale d'Industrie Laitiere in Mamirolle, France, hence the name. In 1996, the Éco-Délices dairy in Plessisville, Quebec also got the exclusive license to produce the cheese outside France. Underneath Mamirolle's washed rind, the texture is supple, elastic, and chewy. The aromas are earthy and pungent, while the flavors are mild, fruity, salty, and sweet, with a rich buttery finish. The cheese is left to age from 3 to 4 weeks on wooden planks, and during the process it's washed with annatto. Pair it with a glass of Beaujolais.Expand

Cantonnier is a Canadian cheese produced in the village of Warwick in Québec since 1994. The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk and it's surface-ripened for several months, after which it develops a complex aroma. The rind is washed and it becomes stickier as the cheese ages. The texture is semi-soft, while the flavors are fruity, creamy, fresh, and reminiscent of tart apples, often with notes of hazelnuts and fresh milk. Cantonnier melts well and it has won many awards.Expand

Cape Vessey is a Canadian cheese hailing from Prince Edward County, Ontario, where it's produced by the Fifth Town Artisan Cheese dairy. The cheese is made from pasteurized goat's milk and it's usually left to age from 2 to 3 months before consumption. Underneath its washed rind, the texture is semi-soft, chewy, and firm. The aromas are tangy, strong, and goaty, while the flavors are sweet, subtle, delicate, and slightly nutty, with a creamy mouthfeel and hints of acidity. The cheese won the title of Grand Champion Goat Cheese at the Royal Winter Fair in 2008. It's recommended to pair it with fruity reds such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cabernet Franc. Interestingly, the cheese was named after the rocky cliffs close to the dairy.Expand

Peau Rouge is a Canadian cheese hauling from Quebec, where it's produced by Les Dépendances. The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk and it's aged for at least one year before consumption. Underneath its washed rind, the texture is crumbly and semi-hard. The aromas are intense, while the flavors are nutty, woody, and caramel-like. It's recommended to use Peau Rouge with pizza or pasta dishes. The name of the cheese refers to its reddish rind that develops while the cheese is aged on red pine planks.Expand

Pied-de-Vent is a traditional cheese hailing from the Magdalen Islands in the province of Quebec. The cheese is made from raw milk of La Canadienne cows. It has a washed rind, and underneath it the texture is smooth and creamy. The aromas are rich and intense, while the flavors are herbaceous, mushroomy, and nutty. The name of this cheese means feet of the wind, referring to the islanders name for rays of the sun, because they believe that it predicts wind on the following day. Use Pied-de-Vent in cooking or serve it on a cheese platter. It's recommended to pair it with a glass of full-bodied and smooth red wine.Expand

Pacific Rock is a Canadian cheese hailing from Quebec. It's made from pasteurized cow's milk. The cheese has an orange-colored washed rind and it ripens in cheese rooms for at least 6 months. The texture is hard, firm, and crumbly, while the aromas are rich and fruity. The flavors are earthy, with nutty, caramel-like, and buttery hints and a tangy citrus finish. Pacific Rock is named after Canada's rugged coastline which is bordered by steep cliffs. It's recommended to pair the cheese with a glass of brown ale or full-bodied whites such as Chenin Blanc or Muscadet.Expand

Baluchon is a Canadian cheese originating from Quebec. This semi-soft cheese with a washed rind is made from raw cow's milk, and it matures for 2 months. Underneath its orange sticky rind, there is an ivory-colored paste with a creamy and smooth texture. The aromas are buttery, herbaceous, and earthy, while the flavors are salty and slightly acidic, reminiscent of cream, hazelnut, and butter, with a slight aftertaste of clover. The name of the cheese means backpack, referring to the fact that the creators of the cheese wanted it to be a staple at every table, just like a world traveler. It's recommended to pair Baluchon with light and fruity red wines such as Pinot Noir.Expand