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Époisses Berthaut, a delight only suitable for the most daring palates

Yes, we are talking about a cheese with personality, a cheese for the most daring palates. Not surprisingly, someone as bold and determined as Napoleon considered the Époisses his favourite specialty. Only the most intrepid gourmets are capable of tasting such a variety, which gives off such a strong, pungent smell that it cannot go unnoticed.

Although legend has it that in France it was forbidden to travel by public transport with such an “aromatic” cheese, daring to taste it is to discover an exquisite cheese.
With a creamy texture that melts in the mouth and provides the palate with complex undergrowth hints, Époisses was called the “king of cheeses” by the renowned gourmet, Jean Anthelme BrillatSavarin in the early 19th century.

The washed and coloured rind of ÉPOISSES BERTHAUT cheese is not enough to contain its extraordinary creaminess and delicate consistency, which is why it is sold in a box.

Époisses Berthaut, reviving a glorious tradition
This specialty originated in the Cistercian monasteries of the 16th century, in the Burgundy region, where the town of Époisses, after which it is named, is located. Soon, its formula spread to the farms in the area and was passed on from generation to generation, gaining great popularity when it entered the court of Louis XIV.

Its fame was maintained at the most sophisticated tables until the period between the world wars, when its production became increasingly rare. A couple of Burgundian farmers, Robert and Simone Berthaut, experienced the worrying extinction of this regional specialty and, in 1956, decided to produce it again for their personal consumption. Without much experience, albeit with the strong motivation to bring back a centuries-old tradition to their beloved land, the Berthauts began a long apprenticeship in the cellar of their home, respecting traditional methods and the region's own raw materials.
With its lactic curd and washed rind, it is the only cheese with these features to have the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).
Their passionate mission, which the following generations continue with equal care, has been rewarded and, in time, ÉPOISSES BERTHAUT earned the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and brought back the glory of this unique variety.
Burgundy, the secret of a unique personality
What gives ÉPOISSES BERTHAUT its undisputed status is, first and foremost, its superior quality milk, rich in protein and produced by cows of local breeds that feed exclusively on the meadows and fodder of the Burgundy region.

Its paste, made from acid curd, uncooked, unpressed and naturally drained, is fragile and creamy, protected by a washed rind, where the microflora grows, responsible, among other qualities, for the surface colour, which can range from ivory orange to brick red.

But it is during the ripening stage, which lasts about five weeks, that the key to its unmistakable personality is hidden. During that time, the piece is washed repeatedly, first with brine and then with water containing increasingly higher concentrations of the local eau-de-vie: Marc de Bourgogne.

It is in this process that all the organoleptic qualities unfold, making ÉPOISSES BERTHAUT cheese a delight with a rich and powerful flavour, a creamy and delicate texture as well as unique and subtle fruity, buttery or salty hints, which surprise those who taste it.

Only milk from these three local breeds may be used to make ÉPOISSES BERTHAUT cheese: Brune, Montbéliarde and French Simmental.