Comté "24 Months", cow's milk, Jura, France, 0.5lB

Comté “24 Months” is a long-aged, raw cow’s milk cheese from the Jura Massif of eastern France. One of France’s most celebrated AOP cheeses, Comté is a cooked, pressed cheese made in large wheels and matured by specialist affineurs. At 24 months, it takes on considerably more intensity, complexity, and concentration than younger Comté. 

Comté AOP must be made from raw milk from Montbéliarde or French Simmental cows. The cows graze the Jura’s diverse mountain pastures during the warmer months and are fed local hay in winter; fermented feeds are prohibited. This seasonal diet is one reason individual wheels can show such different aromatic profiles.  The milk is brought to small village dairies known as fruitières, where it is transformed into large wheels weighing around 40 kg (88 lb). Roughly 400 liters of milk are required for a single wheel.

Comté must mature for at least four months, but exceptional wheels may be selected for considerably longer aging. During affinage, wheels are traditionally kept on spruce boards, regularly turned and rubbed with salt as the affineur guides their development. A 24-month Comté is therefore at the mature end of the spectrum.

Recommended pairings: Jura wines, White or red burgundy, Champagne, Chenin Blanc - particularly Savennière