For September’s Cheese Club, we’re digging into classics from France, the U.S.A., and England.
Herve Mons Comté
This is a super classic Comté from the Jura Mountains of France. Aged for a maximum of 18 months, it has notes of cultured butter, caramelized onions, and toasted nuts. The chewy paste is scattered with a handful of crunchy crystals. We love pairing this with Parisian ham—the slight sweetness and nuttiness of the Comté balances the ham perfectly.
We pair Comté with wines from the Jura region, particularly Savagnin and Vin Juane. It also pairs remarkably will with Chardonnay from neighboring Burgundy and lighter styles from California.
Springbrook Tarentaise
This is Vermont’s take on traditional cheeses from the Tarentaise region of the French Alps. It comes to us from Spring Brook Farm in Reading, and has a washed rind and the classic French style concave heel.. After aging for 12 months, it develops layered umami and savory notes, with hints of beef broth and carrots.
We like pairing the Tarentaise with a hearty charcuterie, like the rosette de leon, or cozy dishes featuring potatoes. For wine, we would swing for something from the Savoie region of France, where you’ll find wines made from grape varieties like Roussanne and Jacquere (white) and Mondeuse (red).
Montgomery’s
As far as cheddar is concerned, Montgomery’s is the OG. It’s made by Montgomery Farm in Somerset. They let the wheels age for a year to develop complex flavors of nuts, horseradish, and root vegetables. Its crumbly texture is complete with naturally occurring blue veins. Neals Yard selects the best wheels from the farm to sell in their London shop and around the world. This is classic cheddar. Delicious in a sandwich. Perfection with pickles. An absolute all-star worthy of a place on your cheeseboard.
Cheddar is a cornerstone of the Ploughman’s lunch, along with pickles, tomato, cured meats, and fresh bread. We love adding Montgomery’s to this classic setup. For wine, we’re likely to pair a cheddar with something big and bold, like a Spanish or Southern Rhône Grenache.
