Top 7 Corsican Washed Rind Cheeses

Niolo is a French cheese that originates from Casamaccioli, Corsica. It is made from raw sheep’s milk and has a soft and creamy texture. The washed rind has a strong aroma, while the flavors on the inside can be best described as nutty. After ripening for three months, it develops a strong aroma on its natural rind, which is white or grey in appearance. It was first produced in the 1950s by the Santini brothers. Pair it with a glass of white wine.Expand

Casgiu paisanu is a traditional cheese produced in Corsica. This farmhouse cheese is made from raw sheep’s milk, and it’s left to age for a month before consumption. Underneath its thin, sticky, washed rind, the texture is creamy, smooth, and soft. The aromas are very intense and pungent, while the flavors are strong and slightly salty. It’s recommended to leave this small cylindrical cheese at room temperature for an hour before indulging in it. Pair it with a glass of Trappist beer and serve it with fresh bread.Expand

Calenzana or Calinzanincu is a French cheese originating from Corsica. It's produced in Calenzana and Balagna. The cheese is made from raw sheep's or goat's milk. The rind is washed, and underneath it the texture is soft and creamy. The aromas are rich, and the flavors are strong. This cheese is usually left to age for at least 3 months before consumption.Expand

Filetta is a French cheese hailing from Isolaccio near Bastia. The cheese is made from raw sheep's milk, but there's also a goat's milk version, made from January until July. Underneath its fern-adorned washed rind, the texture is supple, dense, and smooth. The cheese is left to age from 4 to 6 weeks. The aromas are earthy and herbal and the flavors are mild, mushroomy, and herbaceous, with a slight hint of the fern sprig. It's recommended to serve Filetta with fresh bread, honey, and fig jam. Pair it with a glass of Muscat du Cap Corse or Patrimonio.Expand

Venaco is a French cheese originating from Corsica. It's named after the original place of production, a town in the center of the island, but it's no longer produced there. The cheese is made from raw sheep's milk and it usually ages for 3 to 4 months. Underneath its thin and sticky washed rind, there is a dense, soft, and sticky texture of the body. The flavors are rich, full-bodied, and very spicy. It's recommended to use Venaco as a spread on homemade bread, with garlic, olive oil, or herbs. Pair it with bold red wines such as Gigondas.Expand

Bel Fiuritu is a French cheese hailing from Venaco, Corsica. This semi-firm cheese is made from sheep's milk and ages from 4 to 10 weeks. The rind is washed, thick, sticky, and orange in color, dusted with grey and white mold. The aromas are pungent and barnyardy, while the texture is smooth, supple, and creamy, scattered with small eyes. The flavors are complex, milky, herbaceous, nutty, and sweet, with a pungent and spicy bite. The longer it ages, the more pungent it becomes. The name of the cheese means small beautiful flower, referring to the wild grasses and herbs on which the sheep graze. It's recommended to pair the cheese with full-bodied red wines such as Muscat du cap Corse.Expand

Fium'Orbu is a French cheese that's named after a river that runs through a little-known part of Corse, the island of its origin. The cheese is made from ewe's milk and ages from 8 to 12 weeks. The washed rind is sticky, with meaty aromas. The texture is tender, buttery, and soft, while the flavors are complex and herbaceous, resulting from the ewe's grazing on fragrant herbs. On Corsica, the locals eat this cheese with fig jam and pair it with fruity red wines.Expand