Mont d'Or Cheese vs Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese

Mont d'Or Cheese is a soft cow-milk cheese from France, while Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese is firm, crumbly and made from cow milk.

What Is Mont d'Or Cheese?

Mont d'Or is a seasonal soft cow's milk cheese from the Jura region of France and Switzerland, wrapped in a band of spruce that gives it its flavor. It sells from September 10 to May 10 and is usually warmed in its spruce box and eaten like fondue.

What Is Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese?

Yorkshire Wensleydale is a cow's milk cheese made in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, and only cheese made there may use the name. It is known for a supple, crumbly body, a faint honey aroma, and its fame as Wallace's favourite cheese.

What's the Difference Between Mont d'Or Cheese and Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese?

• Milk treatment: Mont d'Or Cheese (Raw), Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese (Raw or pasteurized)
• Texture: Mont d'Or Cheese (Soft), Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese (Firm, Crumbly)
• Rind: Mont d'Or Cheese (Washed rind), Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese (Cloth-bound or none)
• Aging: Mont d'Or Cheese (21 to 60 days), Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese (2 weeks to 12 months)
• Taste: Mont d'Or Cheese (Resinous, mild to pungent), Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese (Slightly acidic, mellow, and honeyed; stronger and more complex when aged)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Mont d'Or Cheese Taste Like Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese?

Mont d'Or Cheese reads as resinous, mild to pungent, while Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese brings slightly acidic, mellow, and honeyed; stronger and more complex when aged character. More specifically, Mont d'Or Cheese shows known for its creamy taste and powerful aroma; gets resinous flavor from spruce bark, while Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese leans toward sweet, creamy, lactic, with a distinctive pleasant aftertaste. Aging plays into this as well. Mont d'Or Cheese at 21 to 60 days develops a different profile than Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese at 2 weeks to 12 months.

Can You Substitute Mont d'Or Cheese for Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese?

In most recipes, Mont d'Or Cheese and Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese can be swapped with reasonable results. Both are cow-milk cheeses, so the base character carries over. Expect soft bite and body where the recipe calls for firm, crumbly. Flavor-wise, Mont d'Or Cheese reads as resinous, mild to pungent while Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese brings slightly acidic, mellow, and honeyed; stronger and more complex when aged notes.

Which Is Better, Mont d'Or Cheese or Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a soft cheese, go with Mont d'Or Cheese. For a firm, crumbly profile, Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Mont d'Or Cheese suits recipes that want resinous, mild to pungent notes, while Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese fits dishes calling for slightly acidic, mellow, and honeyed; stronger and more complex when aged.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mont d'Or Cheese the same as Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Aging also differs: Mont d'Or Cheese is typically aged 21 to 60 days, Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese 2 weeks to 12 months.

Is Mont d'Or Cheese similar to Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese?

Somewhat. They share a cow-milk base but diverge in texture and flavor.

Can I substitute Mont d'Or Cheese for Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese?

You can, but expect a shift in bite and mouthfeel.

Does Mont d'Or Cheese taste like Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese?

Mont d'Or Cheese reads as resinous, mild to pungent, while Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese is slightly acidic, mellow, and honeyed; stronger and more complex when aged.

What is Mont d'Or Cheese made of?

Mont d'Or Cheese is made from cow milk (raw), using animal rennet. It's typically aged 21 to 60 days. It originates in France.

What is Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese made of?

Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese is made from cow milk (raw or pasteurized). It's typically aged 2 weeks to 12 months.

Which should I choose, Mont d'Or Cheese or Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Mont d'Or Cheese is soft, while Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese is firm, crumbly.