Comté, pronounced “com-tay” is a French cheese made in the Jura Massif region of Eastern France, using unpasteurized cow milk. This hard mountain cheese is matured to perfection for a full eighteen months, which gives it a unique taste, texture, and colour. Comté was one of the first few cheeses to receive a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status in 1958.

Not surprisingly, it is one of the most popular PDO cheeses made in France with around 40,000 tonnes of annual production. A taste yields up aromatic flavours that are a balance of brown-butter and roasted-nut aromas, which delicately linger on the palate, concluding with a sweet finish.

Comté lends itself to many recipes ranging from fondues to Croque-Monsieur, and pairs well with Rhone reds, a Palo Cortado or off-dry Amontillado sherry from Spain.