Le Dauphin Soumaintrain IGP
Cows Milk | France
The washed rind cheeses of the Burgundy region date back to monastic times, but over the last century, many have become extinct. Le Dauphin Soumaintrain cheese is a rare exception.
Produced under IGP regulations, this Burgundian classic originally took its name from a small village in the green wooded valley of Armance and this example has been selected by Will for its exceptional quality. Produced from fresh cow’s milk collected from a strictly designated region, the curds are set using traditional slow overnight lactic fermentation techniques introduced to the region during monastic times.
The young cheese is then matured in humid cellars for a minimum of 21 days where it is regularly washed with a brine solution to encourage the growth of a blushing orange rind veiled with a thin coat of ivory coloured mould.
Mild and creamy with sweet oral aromas when it leaves the dairy, the smooth rind of this natural surface-ripened cheese gradually develops wrinkles and a more pronounced aroma the longer it ages. The combination is a telltale sign that the inside has softened to a deliciously rich texture.
There are no rules on when to enjoy Le Dauphin Sounmaintrain but the local cheesemakers claim it’s at its best when ‘strong on the nose and gentle on the palate’.
Serve at room temperature, preferably with a glass of Burgundy!