Bonde de Gatine

Bonde de Gatine is a French cheese produced in the marshy Gatine area of Poitou. The cheese is made from raw or pasteurized (for export) goat's milk. It has a natural wrinkly ash-coated rind that hides a soft and smooth white paste underneath it.

The aromas are rich, while the flavors are acidic and salty, with earthy and fruity notes. Bonde de Gatine is usually matured for about 3 or 4 weeks, when the interior is fudge-like, but it can also be matured for several more weeks. The word bonde denotes an old-fashioned cork that's traditionally used to seal wine barrels, referring to the cheese's unique drum shape.