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AOC — PDO — Burgundy
A cheese of uncompromising character, with an orange rind washed with marc de Bourgogne — one of the most powerful and noble in France.
Washed-rind cheese from Burgundy, PDO (AOP) since 1996.
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Époisses takes its name from the village of Époisses, in Côte-d'Or, between Auxerre and Dijon. Oral tradition attributes its creation, in the early 16th century, to a community of Cistercian monks who settled in the village. This know-how was handed down to the farm women of the Auxois villages, who continued making the cheese when the monks departed Époisses.
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The appellation area extends from southern Haute-Marne to western Côte-d'Or, reaching the borders of Yonne, across two natural regions with distinct terroirs: Auxois-Terre Plaine, with its clay-limestone bocage terrain, and Châtillonnais-Plateau de Langres, with its lighter limestone soils. The milk comes from cows of local breeds — Brune, Montbéliarde and Simmental —, fed on forage sourced exclusively from the appellation area, free from GMOs. The marc de Bourgogne used for washing the rind, itself a product of the local terroir, contributes to the cheese's characteristic colour and aromas.
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Époisses quickly met with acclaim, enjoyed even at the court of King Louis XIV. In 1820, the gastronome Brillat-Savarin proclaimed Époisses the "king of cheeses", sealing the renown of the Burgundian terroir. Production declined sharply during the interwar years due to a shortage of labour, to the point that maturation ceased in 1954 — the cheese came close to dying out. Passionate producers revived the sector as early as 1956.
Appearance
Flat-faced cylinder, with a rind evolving from ivory to brick-orange depending on maturation; standard format of 9.5 to 11.5 cm in diameter for 250 to 350 g.
Aroma
Powerful and animal nose, penetrating.
Taste
Creamy, with a fruity sweetness beneath what is nonetheless an assertive rind.
Texture
Smooth and melting paste.
diameter 9.5 to 11.5 cm, weight 250 to 350 g
diameter 16.5 to 19 cm, weight 700 to 1,100 g
produced on the farm by the sector's sole farmhouse cheesemaker, alongside 3 cheese dairies
on racks, in a cool (12 °C) and humid (90%) room, for approximately 48 hours.
exclusively with dry salt — brining is prohibited by the product specification.
for at least 4 weeks, with attentive, regular care and washing.
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Époisses is best enjoyed at room temperature (remove from the refrigerator 1 hour beforehand). Served on a cheeseboard, it deserves pride of place at the end of a meal. It pairs magnificently with a Gevrey-Chambertin or a Pommard (red Burgundy wines), or even, counterintuitively, with a Sauternes or a Gewurztraminer vendanges tardives. On lightly toasted country bread or walnut bread.
Since: 1991
Area covered: Western Côte-d'Or (Auxois, Châtillonnais), 3 cantons of Yonne, 2 cantons of Haute-Marne
Key requirements: Milk from cows of local breeds (Brune, Montbéliarde, Simmental), dry-salting exclusively, matured for a minimum of 4 weeks, washed with marc de Bourgogne
Since: 1996
Area covered: Western Côte-d'Or (Auxois, Châtillonnais), 3 cantons of Yonne, 2 cantons of Haute-Marne
Key requirements: Identical
Family business — founded in 1956
Artisanal cheese dairy — founded in 1946
Artisanal manufacturer
GAEC
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