Flavors of Burgundy

Sommelier's suggestion Whites: Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet Reds: A full-bodied wine such as Côtes-de-Nuits or choose a regional eau-de-vie such as Marc de Bourgogne

According to legend, the history of this cheese begins in the Monks’ House in the village of Epoisses, Burgundy in the early 16th century. A community of religious, probably Cistercians, came and established a house here and left as a legacy the recipe for making this cheese, which naturally assumed the name of the village.

Epoisses cheese has an inimitable flavor, and should be served runny. It has its own protected designation of origin (appellation d’origine contrôlée.)

Technical File

Production
Raw cow’s milk is placed into basins to coagulate for 18 hours after “renneting,” the age-old method for producing milk curd. The curd is then delicately ladled into moulds where it drains naturally. Once the whey has been removed, the curd then becomes cheese.

After unmolding, Epoisses is salted with dry salt.

The ripening process takes at least 4 weeks, during which the cheese is washed several times a week with water laced with Marc de Bourgogne.

Curd
The cheese is soft and yellow and varies in density according to its degree of ripeness.

Rind
Washed with Marc de Bourgogne, it is red and shiny with a penetrating odor.

Taste
Some people prefer it young with an almost white curd for a delicate flavor; others prefer it well ripened, with a yellow curd and a strong flavor.