Comte Expression

Item #: 28236

France’s Jura Region, characterized by highland forests and snow covered plateaus, has been producing Comté, arguably France’s most important cheese, for several thousand years. Comté’s AOC designation stipulates that the milk must come from Montbéliarde or French Simmental cows. Produced in 40 Kg wheels, or millstones, (meules), total French Comté production comes from the pooled milk of 3250 farms; each farm has on average 45 cows and must be located within 25 Km of a Fruitières, the village cheese making facility where on average 20 wheels of cheese are made a day. Comté must undergo a rigorous grading process in accordance with the AOC rules. Those cheeses not making the grade are rejected and sold as (French) Gruyère. Comté has a pale yellow interior, is firm and supple in texture and the rind should be thin and hard. The flavor is savory, nutty, and sweet, almost like toffee. Comté must be aged a minimum of 4 months but talented French affineurs push the aging period to as a long as 18 months. Try it with a dry Riesling or other full flavored white wine (doesn’t pair so well with reds) and imagine the echo of cowbells in mountainside pastures as you savor this age-old treat.

• Style: Gruyere
• Brand: Badoz
• Country: France
• Region: Comte
• Size: CW 85 #
• Age: 30 months
• Raw Milk: Yes
• Special Order: Yes