Our Christmas orders are now closed. You can still buy our Cheese Subscriptions to start in January, as well as book our courses and tasting events. If you want to purchase vouchers you can do so until the 20th December but please note that it can take up to 48 hours for the vouchers to be emailed to you as we process these manually.
We have a full counter of cheese in our shop in Pangbourne so you can still come in and purchase items in store
Price range: £3.60 through £21.60
Our 12-month-old Comté has a rich and nutty texture, a lingering flavour and a caramel sweetness. It is only made in the summer months in the Jura region of France.
Comté is one of those French cheeses that always seems to get people talking. It’s made in the Franche-Comté region, right by the Swiss border, and has been around for over a thousand years. People often compare it to Gruyère, but I think Comté has a personality all its own.
What really sets Comté apart is how much it reflects its home. The cheese is all about the land, the cows, and the way things have always been done in that corner of France. Only milk from Montbéliarde and French Simmental cows is allowed, and these lucky cows spend their days munching on local grasses and hay. No silage or funny business just the good stuff, which keeps the milk tasting fresh and full of character.
Making Comté is a real team effort. Every day, milk from nearby farms is brought to little village dairies called fruitières, a tradition that goes all the way back to the Middle Ages. It takes about 400 litres of milk to make just one wheel, so working together has always been the only way. That sense of community is still at the heart of Comté today.
When the milk gets to the fruitière, it’s gently warmed and curdled with natural rennet. The curds are cut, heated, and pressed into big wheels, each one weighs as much as a small child! At first, the cheese is quite mild and pale, but the real magic happens as it ages. After pressing, the wheels are salted and tucked away in cellars to mature for at least four months, though some are left to develop for much longer.
Comté holds a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO, or AOP in France), which strictly defines where and how the cheese is made. It can only be produced in the Jura Mountains of eastern France, using raw milk from Montbéliarde or French Simmental cows that are primarily grass-fed, with hay in winter and no silage.
It is during the maturation period that Comté really comes into its own. The wheels are stored in cool, damp cellars and get plenty of attention from affineurs, who turn and brush them regularly. As the months go by, the flavours change—starting out milky and buttery, then picking up hints of hazelnut, caramel, toasted bread, fruit, and sometimes even a bit of spice or mushroom.
Jen’s note: One of my favourite things about Comté is that no two wheels are ever quite the same. The taste changes with the seasons, depending on what the cows have been eating and even the altitude of the pastures. A wheel made in summer, when the cows are out among the alpine flowers, is often more floral and aromatic. In winter, the cheese tends to be nuttier and a bit more robust. This isn’t a flaw, it’s all part of the fun.
Sizes and Prices
Storage Advice
Delivery and Collection
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, starter cultures, rennet, salt
Normal opening Monday – Saturday 9am – 4pm until:
Sunday 22nd 9am – 4pm
Monday 23rd 9am – 4pm
Christmas Eve 9am – 12pm
Christmas Day Closed
Boxing Day Closed
Friday 27th Closed
Saturday 28th 9am – 4pm
Sunday 29th Closed
Monday 30th 9am – 2pm
Tuesday 31st 9am – 2pm
New Year’s Day Closed
Thursday 2nd January Closed
Friday 3rd 9am – 4pm then open as normal
After Christmas our courier delivery slots start from 8th January.
