Burgundy is a big agricultural region and as well as being famous for the Charolais beef, Bresse chickens and snails, Burgundy is also renowned for its cheeses.
The fodder and pastures from this very “green” region give the milk its unique taste. The milk for our local cheeses can only come from three breeds of cattle, famous for the quality of their milk: the Brown, the French Simmental and the Montbeliarde.
One of the most well-known cheese factory is the Gaugry Cheese Factory in Brochon (a stone’s throw from Gevrey Chambertin). The Gaugry family have owned the factory for 3 generations (Raymond Gaugry founded the factory in 1946).
He was inspired by the farmers around the village of Epoisses (famous for its cheese making since the 16th century) and made a washed rind soft cheese that so pleased the locals in the neighbouring village that they called it l’Ami du Chambertin (or friend of Chambertin). This cheese has since become the Gaugry hall-mark cheese.
Today the factory processes about 9000 litres of milk per day or 1.8 million per year, which translates to 840,000 soft, rind-washed cheeses.
In Europe, the production of cow’s milk is about 122.2 million tonnes, of which 7.26 million is used for making cheese. In France, cow’s milk production is about 22.93 million litres.
There are 8 types of cheese in France:
Washed rind cheese Epoisses, Maroilles
Bloomy rind cheese Camembert, Brie
Hard paste cheese Beaufort, Comté
Semi-hard cheese Cantal, Reblochon
Blue-veined cheese Saint Agur, Roquefort
Goat cheese Crottin de Chavignol, Saint Maure
Fresh cheese Petit Suisse, Carré Frais
Melted cheese Cancoillotte, Vache qui Rit
42 cheeses in France have a label of controlled origin AOC which protects them. This law was introduced in 1955.
Gaugry produce 8 soft, washed-rind cheeses: Epoisses AOC, Ami du Chambertin, Soumaintrain, Palet de Bourgogne, Le Petit Gourmand, Plaisir au Chablis, Le Petit Creux and Cendré de Vergy.
One of the most important stages of production is the “Ripening”. On the 8th day of cheese making, each cheese is washed by hand with salted water. This solution is enriched with Marc de Bourgogne (local Brandy) or Chablis wine to suit the specific type of cheese. Teams of people expertly wash and rub the cheeses 7 to 10 times during the ripening process.
The more the cheeses are washed, the more they develop their natural colour produced by the red ferments, progressing from an ivory-orange to a deeper, warmer orange. Finally they complete their maturity after a minimum of four weeks. During this period, they remain in a maturing room where an environment is created which imitates the one found in caves: fresh, ventilated and humid. During this time the natural ferments and yeast give their unique aroma and individual characteristics to each variety of cheese.
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday: 9 a.m./12.30 p.m. – 2 p.m. /7 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m./12.30 p.m. – 2 p.m. /6.30 p.m.
Closed on Sunday
Bank holidays: please contact the factory
Telephone: +33 (0)3 80 34 00 07
Fromagerie Gaugry
RD 974
21220 Brochon
Tél:33(0)380 34 00 07
Fax : 330(0) 380 52 54 93
cremerie@gaugryfromager.com
WineTime France News 
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