Louis d’Or: Canadian Cheese of the Year 2018

Louis d’Or, made by Jean Morin of Fromagerie Presbytere, is the 2018 Cheese of the Year.

Louis d’Or, an outstanding Alpine-style cheese made by Jean Morin of Fromagerie du Presbytère in Sainte-Élizabeth-de-Warwick, Québec, was named the 2018 Cheese of the Year in the biennial Canadian Cheese Awards, the biggest cheese judging and competition in the country.

The 2018 Canadian Cheese Awards program, which started at University of Guelph, Food Science Department, with the judging of 375 submitted cheeses in late February, culminated June 6 with a presentation ceremony and tasting gala at historic St. Lawrence Market in Toronto.

Loblaw Companies is Marque Sponsor of Awards while Dairy Farmers of Canada is Principal Partner, Cow Milk Cheese.

Complete list of winners by categories:

CHEESE OF THE YEAR/FROMAGE D’EXCEPTION

Louis d’Or – Fromagerie du Presbytère, Sainte-Élizabeth-de-Warwick, Québec

BEST FRESH CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE FRAIS

Ricotta – Ferrante Cheese, Woodbridge, Ontario

BEST FRESH PASTA FILATA CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE À PÂTE FILÉE

Zerto Fresh Mozzarella – Quality Cheese, Vaughan, Ontario

BEST SEMI-SOFT CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE À PÂTE SEMI-FILÉE

Comtomme – Fromagerie la Station, Compton, Québec

BEST FETA/CHEESE IN BRINE/MEILLEUR FETA/FROMAGE EN SAUMURE

Krinos Traditional Feta – Krinos, Vaughan, Ontario

BEST FETA/CHEESE IN BRINE/MEILLEUR FETA/FROMAGE EN SAUMURE

—Private Brands Division—

PC Feta Regular – Loblaw Companies, Brampton, Ontario

BEST FIRM CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE À PÂTE FERME

Louis d’Or – Fromagerie du Presbytère, Sainte-Élizabeth-de-Warwick, Québec

BEST FIRM CHEESE WITH HOLES (Swiss-style)/MEILLEUR FROMAGE À PÂTE FERME AVEC OUVERTURES

Swiss Gouda – That Dutchman’s Cheese Farm, Upper Economy, Nova Scotia

BEST WASHED RIND CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE À CROÛTE LAVÉE

Le Bocké – La Fromagerie Champêtre, Repentigny, Québec

BEST MIXED RIND CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE À CROÛTE MIXTE

Origine de Charlevoix – Laiterie Charlevoix, Baie-Saint-Paul, Québec

BEST MIXED RIND CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE À CROÛTE MIXTE

—Private Brands Division—

PC Belle Riviere Cheese – Loblaw Companies, Brampton, Ontario

BEST BLOOMY RIND CHEESE/MEILLEUR PÂTE MOLLE À CROÛTE FLEURIE

Laliberté – Fromagerie du Presbytère, Sainte-Élizabeth-de-Warwick, Québec

BEST BLOOMY RIND CHEESE/MEILLEUR PÂTE MOLLE À CROÛTE FLEURIE

—Private Brands Division—

PC Camembert – Loblaw Companies, Brampton, Ontario

BEST LACTIC RIPENED CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE LACTIQUE À CROÛTE FLEURIE

Neufchatel – Golden Ears Cheesecrafters, Maple Ridge, British Columbia

BEST MILD & MEDIUM CHEDDAR (aged up to 9 months)/ MEILLEUR CHEDDAR DOUX & MOYEN (maximum de 9 mois d’affinage)

Dairy Isle Medium – Amalgamated Dairies, Summerside, Prince Edward Island

BEST OLD CHEDDAR (aged from 9 to 18 months)/MEILLEUR CHEDDAR FORT (entre 9 et 18 mois d’affinage)

Dairy Isle Old – Amalgamated Dairies, Summerside, Prince Edward Island

BEST AGED CHEDDAR (aged more than 18 months)/MEILLEUR CHEDDAR VIEILLI (plus de 18 mois d’affinage)

Cows Creamery 3 Year Old Cheddar – Cows Creamery, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

BEST GOUDA CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE GOUDA

Mild Gouda – That Dutchman’s Cheese Farm, Upper Economy, Nova Scotia

BEST BLUE CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE À PÂTE PERSILLÉE

Rassembleu – Les Fromagiers de la Table Ronde, Sainte-Sophie, Québec

BEST FLAVOURED CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE AROMATISÉ

Raclette de Compton au Poivre – Fromagerie la Station, Compton, Québec

BEST FLAVOURED FRESH CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE FRAIS AROMATISÉS

Chevrai Roasted Garlic Soft Fresh Goat Cheese – Woolwich Dairy, Orangeville, Ontario

BEST FLAVOURED FRESH CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE FRAIS AROMATISÉS

—Private Brands Division—

PC Fresh Goat Peppercorn – Loblaw Companies, Brampton, Ontario

BEST SMOKED CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE FUMÉ

Appletree Smoked Cheddar – Cows Creamery, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

BEST GRILLING CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE À GRILLER

Queso Fresco – Sabana, Oakville, Ontario

BEST COW’S MILK CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE LAIT DE VACHE

Cows Creamery 3 Year Old Cheddar – Cows Creamery, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

BEST GOAT’S MILK CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE LAIT DE CHÈVRE

Tomme Haut Richelieu – Fromagerie Fritz Kaiser, Noyan, Québec

BEST SHEEP’S MILK CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE LAIT DE BREBIS

Madelaine – Fromagerie Nouvelle France, Racine, Québec

BEST WATER BUFFALO MILK CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE LAIT DE BUFFLONNE

Fuoco – Fromagerie Fuoco, St. Lin-Laurentides, Québec

BEST BLENDED-MILK CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE LAIT MIXTE

Pionnier – Fromagerie du Presbytère, Sainte-Élizabeth-de-Warwick, Québec, and Fromagerie Nouvelle France, Racine, Québec

BEST FARMSTEAD CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE FERMIER

Figaro – Glengarry Fine Cheese, Lancaster, Ontario

BEST ORGANIC CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE BIOLOGIQUE

Alfred le Fermier 18 mois – Fromagerie la Station, Compton, Québec

BEST RAW-MILK CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE LAIT CRU

Louis d’or vieilli 2 ans – Fromagerie du Presbytère, Sainte-Élizabeth-de-Warwick, Québec

BEST NEW CHEESE (Introduced to market during 2017) MEILLEUR NOUVEAU FROMAGE (Mis en marché en 2017)

Mountainoak Farmstead 3 Year Old – Mountainoak Cheese, New Hamburg, Ontario

BEST B.C. CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE LA COLOMBIE BRITANNIQUE

Neufchatel – Golden Ears Cheesecrafters, Maple Ridge, British Columbia

BEST WEST CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE L’OUEST (Alberta, Saskatchewan et Manitoba)

Bothwell Cheddar White – Bothwell Cheese, New Bothwell, Manitoba

BEST ONTARIO CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE DE L’ONTARIO

Zerto Fresh Mozzarella – Quality Cheese, Vaughan, Ontario

BEST QUEBEC CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE DU QUÉBEC

Le 1608 – Laiterie Charlevoix, Baie-Saint-Paul, Québec

BEST ATLANTIC CANADA CHEESE/MEILLEUR FROMAGE DES PROVINCES ATLANTIQUES

Cows Creamery 3 Year Old Cheddar – Cows Creamery, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

Biggest cheese competition in Canada

Judging by a jury of 14 cheese experts took place at University of Guelph, Department of Food Science, in February. A total of 117 finalists were selected from the 375 cheeses entered by producers from Newfoundland to British Columbia.

The 2018 Canadian Cheese of the Year and champions in 33 categories were announced at the Awards Ceremony on June 6 at St. Lawrence Market in Toronto followed by an Awards Tasting Gala. The next day, winners were featured at Canadian Cheese Expo for the trade followed by Canada’s first Artisan Cheese Night Market open to the public.

Fifty-six of the 117 nominations went to 22 Québec cheese producers led by Fromagerie La Station, 7 finalists, Laterie Charlevoix, 6, and Fromagerie du Presbystere, 5.

Sixty-one of the 117 nominations went to 23 producers in English-Canada, led by Cows, 12 finalists, Glengarry Fine Cheese, 5, and Amalgamated Dairies, Cross Wind Farm and Mountainoak Cheese, 4 each.

Canadian Cheese Awards is the only pan-Canadian cheese competition open to all milks used in cheesemaking—cow, goat, sheep and water buffalo—with only pure natural cheese accepted for judging. That means no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, and no modified milk ingredients.

“We aim to honour and celebrate 100% pure natural cheese that has achieved technical excellence and exhibits the highest aesthetic qualities,” says Georgs Kolesnikovs, Awards Chairman.

The biennial Canadian Cheese Awards is produced by Cheese Lover Productions with the support of Loblaw Companies as Marquee Sponsor and Dairy Farmers of Canada as Principal Partner, Cow Milk Cheese.

The Great Canadian Cheese Festival in Picton, Ontario, is on hiatus in 2018 to allow resources to be devoted to the launch of Artisan Cheese Night Market and related events.