Ossau Iraty Reserve AOP Cheese Aged 6 Months

With its ivory color and thick golden rind, Ossau Iraty isn’t just one of the most striking cheeses in the case, it’s also one of the most delicious. Made from raw sheep milk, this French stunner is aged for six months, becoming firm with small crunchy calcium crystals as it ages.

Aged Ossau Iraty is nutty, buttery, and complex, with a slight sharpness and notes of wildflowers, fresh grass, toasted wheat, and sheep milk’s signature slight barnyard funk. This cheese was awarded AOC status in 1980, meaning that all cheese production must take place on the farms the milk comes from, and that all milk must come from the Manech Tête Noir, Tête Rousse and Basco-Béarnaises breeds of sheep. Serve it on a cheese board alongside roasted nuts and fresh berries, or grate it over salad, pasta, and risotto.

• Pairings: Red or White Burgundy, Chenin Blanc, Provencal Rose, Farmhouse Ale, Amber Ale, Dry French Cider