Comté

To develop its rich taste, Comté takes it time

Just like a great wine, Comté cheese has an appellation d'origine contrôlée.

This means that real Comté cheeses can only be produced in a specific location, in the testing climate of the Jura mountains and with the rich grassy prairies where the Montbéliard cattle, the only breed permitted for Comté production, graze peacefully away.

Today, around 200 cheese manufacturers use traditional methods to produce this authentic cheese, which has a different personality and set of aromas for each of the micro-climates present in the area.

The first notes to hit your palate are fresh and fruity, soon giving way to more full-bodied flavours, ranging from brioche to a grilled taste, via dark chocolate. There is a whole array of aromas on display, changing along with the degree of maturation, which lasts from 4 to 12 months on average. During this time, each Comté cheese receives almost daily care from the master cheese makers.

Some Comtés mature for over a year, sometimes up to 18 months, and are highly sought after by gourmets. The remarkable ageing cellars of Saint-Antoine Fort above Lake Saint-Point gives forth rich summer Comtés, which are long in mouth, and very milky winter Comtés with a delicious smell of gratin and flavours of fresh hazelnut. A Comté is instantly recognisable thanks to its green oval plaque on one end and the word “Comté” in green all around the mould, with little bells.

>> See Comté cheese routes