As February slowly creeps towards the renewal of spring, we could all use a good wake-up call for the senses. Time to break out the Époisses de Bourgogne cheese and tasty Bourgogne wines.

Those already familiar with the glories of Époisses know what I mean.

Once you've experienced Époisses, you cannot forget the intense sensory impressions. Whether you love the cheese or not, passionate reactions are common. As the French say, “Vive les fromages qui puent!” or “Long live stinky cheeses!”

In this case, stinky applies in the best sense of having strong, undeniable personality reflected in pungent aromas and unique texture. Pairing Époisses with wines that offer aromas and vibrant freshness creates a match quite unlike any other.

What makes it so distinctive

Époisses cheese starts simply enough. Whole milk comes from Brune, Montbéliarde and Simmental Française cows grazing in the area between Auxerre in the north of Bourgogne and the famed Côte-d'Or vineyards near the village of Gevrey-Chambertin in the south.

For French domestic consumption, producers use unpasteurized milk. Époisses exported to the United States comes from pasteurized milk.

After heating the milk, workers mold the curds into rounds that are rubbed with salt and placed on racks to mature. Then the real magic begins.

Workers rinse the young cheeses and brush them with a “cocktail” of watery brine composed of brevibacterium (a genus of bacteria) and marc de Bourgogne, a raw spirit distilled from the remains of newly pressed Bourgogne wines. As the rubbing process is repeated over 4-6 weeks, les ferments du rouge (i.e., red molds) naturally develop to nurture Époisses' distinctive personality.

Initially, that includes the cheese's vivid red and orange color. Draw closer, and the cheese's unabashed aromas demand attention. The pungent, heady perfume exudes fruitiness, wild garlic and earthy, barnyard aromas.

Cut into a properly aged Époisses and you’ll find the creamy, glistening cheese oozes. The French call it coulant, or runny. On the palate, mild, deliciously fruity and savory mushroom flavors prevail.

In short, Époisses should be alive and singing with pleasure. Add it all up and, as famed French gourmand Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin observed, and Époisses is “the king of all cheeses.”

Several Époisses producers export to the United States. The most reliable, Berthaut Époisses, is available locally for $25.99 per round at Pennsylvania Macaroni Co. in the Strip District. Before serving, the cheese should rest at room temperature for an hour or two to allow its runny texture to emerge.

Enjoy Époisses with baguette bread and savory bits such as cornichon pickles and Fallot Moutarde de Bourgogne, a spicy French mustard (also available at Penn Mac), or with dried fruit and nuts. 



What to drink with it

Due to its strong, pungent flavor, Époisses cheese should be paired with red and white wines with ample aromas and plenty of fresh acidity. Try the following:

The 2023 Vignerons Giraudon, Bourgogne Aligoté, France ($16.99, PLCB No. 36281) comes from Chitry in northern Bourgogne, a village where Aligoté grapes make up 40% of the vines planted in the area. Marcel Giraudon and his children, Aurélie and Thibaut, specialize in Aligoté, with 15 acres under cultivation.


This lovely white wine has a bright, pale-yellow color, offering fresh aromas of citrus, white flowers and quince. On the palate, vibrant flavors of grapefruit and green apples with light herbal notes layer in a medium body with pleasant creaminess. The wine is a perfect foil for the pungent Époisses.


Turning to red wines, the 2022 Domaine des Verchères, Bourgogne Pinot Noir ($19.99, PLCB No. 36326) comes from a family estate in the village of Mancey in Bourgogne’s Mâcon region.

The village is known primarily for its white limestone soils, which are suitable for Chardonnay grapes and white wines. But this wine comes from Pinot Noir grapes grown in gravelly clay and brown limestone soils less common in Mancey.

The vines face south and southeast, which helps to ripen the fruit thoroughly. The rocky, infertile soils naturally limit yields, which enhances the quality of the final fruit and wines.

This wine's ruby color and fragrant ripe red fruit aromas offer a touch of spiciness and smoky earthiness. Delicious, ripe fruit flavors balance with fresh acidity and fine, elegant tannins. It all adds up to a fun, easy drinking red — only 12% alcohol by volume — which pairs beautifully with Époisses cheese.

Next enjoy the 2021 Domaine du Clos de Poulettes, Côtes de Nuits-Villages “En Vierville” ($31.99, PLCB No. 35957), a wine hailing from the heart of Bourgogne’s famed Côte d’Or vineyards.

But here’s the thing: The domaine and the vines are in the village of Corgoloin, which has a decidedly lower profile with international collectors who typically run up the prices for most Côte d’Or red wines.

The vines for this wine at Domaine du Clos de Poulettes have the same eastern orientation, the same gentle slopes and similar limestone and clay geology. They also have comparable planting density of 10,000 vines per hectare, and similar low-harvest yields as those in the village of Nuits-Saint-Georges and Corgolion’s more famous neighbors to the north. This is significant because it allows Domaine du Clos de Poulettes to make red wines of comparable quality but at less than half the price.

This wine has a pretty ruby color with aromas of ripe dark red fruit, cracked black pepper and light spiciness. On the palate, delicious, ripe fruit with medium concentration balances with superb freshness and elegant, silky tannins carrying through the delicate finish.

The wine offers terrific QPR, or quality-price ratio. Jump on it while it lasts for a fun pairing with hanger steak with a melted Époisses cheese sauce.

Cheers!

Dave DeSimone (daveswinecellar.com), a Pittsburgh-based freelancer, is a certified French Wine Scholar who has been writing about wine, food and travel for more than 30 years.

First Published: February 15, 2025, 10:30 a.m.
Updated: February 16, 2025, 2:03 a.m.