Ossau Iraty Fermier AOP, aged 6 months

Louis Madec began his career as a shepherd before transitioning to aging cheese. Leading his sheep across the high mountain pastures and making cheese in a traditional cauldron gave him an appreciation for livestock farming and cheesemaking. Working with small producers in the valleys of the Upper Béarn, he selects cheeses with an objective of respect for the product, traditions, and the terroir. In addition to those traditional cheeses, he also ages some more innovative styles. Ossau Iraty is a wonderful sheep's milk cheese produced in a specific area of the French Pyrenées. The name is derived from the production area that includes two neighboring provinces: the Ossau Valley, located in the Bearn; and Iraty, a forested area in the French Basque Pyrenées. Traditionally served with black cherry jam, this farmstead Ossau Iraty can be readily paired with cured meats and a wide variety of wines.