The Essential French Wine and Cheese Pairing You Need To Try

 In a world that is increasingly disconnected from nature and what sustains us comes from a supermarket, there’s a growing appreciation for food and wines that come from small farms, places where tradition and respect for the land are as much a part of the story as the nuances of taste. In the French regions of the Jura and the Rhône Valley, two products, Comté cheese and Côtes du Rhône wine, embody distinct histories, landscapes, and stories.

What Unites Comté and Côtes du Rhône 

Comté and Côtes du Rhône wines are both certified under the European Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) system. A PDO logo on a product promises the consumer that this product comes from a specific geographic location and delivers singular characteristics not found anywhere else. The specifications describing the product and the required commitments of the producers can easily be accessed. Further, the regions are connected by the Rhône River which follows the boundary of the Comté appellation to the south, then flows through the Côtes du Rhône from north to south. Source: comteusa.com

• Comté PDO: A semi-hard cheese made from unpasteurized cow’s milk has been produced in the Jura Massif for over a thousand years. With about 2,400 small to medium-sized farms, every wheel of Comté begins with  milk from cows grazing mountain pastures rich in herbs and flowers. No industrial shortcuts, no silage, just tradition, care, and respect. Cheesemakers, farmers, and affineurs (those who age the cheese) are integral to each step that is carried out with skill and patience. 
• Côtes du Rhône PDO: Stretching the length of the Rhône River on both sides, the wines are shaped by a Mediterranean climate and diverse soils. Red, white, and rosé wines express balance, fruit, and spice…perfect partners for the nutty, buttery complexity of Comté.

What makes Comté special?

Happy cows produce good milk, which makes delicious cheese. If you were a dairy cow in the Jura you’d graze on sweet mountain grasses in spring and hay from the same hillsides in winter. You’d belong to a small herd, cared for by the same family for your entire life. Every cow in your herd would have roughly 3.2 acres of forage area to call its own. Your milk, prized above all else, would become  Comté within 24 hours of milking.  Additives and GMOs are forbidden.  Finally,  it would be transformed into wheels of Comté, slowly maturing in cool cellars until the affineur declares it ready. 

There’s a lot more that goes into making Comté but the key ingredient is the high-quality milk.

What’s so special about Côtes du Rhône wines?

Perhaps best known for red wines that can be soft and easy or bold and tannic,  the Côtes du Rhône appellation produces white, red, and rosé wines. 

Cotes du Rhône PDO stretches from the north near the city of Lyon, south to Avignon in the region of Provence.  The appellation allows 23 grape varieties. The most well-known are Grenache, Syrah, Viognier, Roussanne, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault.

In the north the focus is on single varietal wines such as Syrah. In the south blends are more common with Grenache being the most popular varietal. Côtes du Rhône wines are a bargain, with most bottle available for around $20. 

As a PDO region, it was one of the first to adopt the Appellation of Origin Contrǒllé or AOC designation, in 1937.  In France, only wine is allowed to continue to use the AOC designation in lieu of the PDO. While the PDO label covers food, wine, and spirits.

This is one of the top wine regions for lovely rosé wines in every shade of pink. Whether red, white or pink, the wines of this appellation are a tribute to French heritage and terroir. 

 A Perfect Pairing Comté Cheese and Côtes du Rhône wines

White and rosé wines from Côtes du Rhône pair well with young (4-10 month) Comté.  The wines acidity and soft texture balance the cheese’s creamy nuttiness and mirrors the wine’s floral and citrus notes. This was my favorite pairing.

Recommended wines:  

Chapoutier Belleruche Blanc 2022. Fresh and elegant, with notes of orange blossom, white peach, and almond.

 E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rosé 2023. The color of this wine is lovely. Light and refreshing aromas of raspberry, red currant, and citrus blend. You can not go wrong with a rosé which allows many other pairing options.

Red wines pair best with aged or mature Comté rounding out the fruity, nutty and slightly caramelized flavors with soft red and black fruits, and tannins. An aged Comté will be ripened for 12 to 24 months or longer. Recommended wines:

Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret L’Amandine. A full-bodied blend of Syrah and Grenache with notes of ripe red cherries and strawberries and very fine tannins. Ideal with a mature Comté. The nutty intensity pairs beautifully with the wine’s depth. The winemaker recommends drinking this within five years.

Chateau Malija Cotes du Rhone 2022. 

A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre, this wine exhibits notes of black fruits, plum, herbs and a bit of spice. 

Why Visit the Jura?

The Jura is an area less traveled. There are no large cities or tourist monuments, just centuries old villages where cheese-making is not mere livelihood but a cultural identity. Visit local fruitières (cheese dairies) to witness the artistry behind Comté’s creation. 

Outdoor enthusiasts will love the Jura. Hike through flowery meadows ski in winter, or walk to rustic inns like La Petite Échelle, tucked along a trail near Mont d’Or. In Poligny, the capital city of Comté, La Maison du Comté welcomes travelers with exhibits, and tastings. It is the location of the offices for the PDO. 

The nearby towns of Arbois,  Salins-les-Bain, reveal stories of salt mines and medieval churches, and  Louis Pasteur, who studied here.

Beyond taste, this pairing connects you to landscapes: the vineyards of the Rhône and the mountain pastures of the Jura. 

So, whether you’re sipping wine in Séguret, sampling cheese in a Jura chalet, or armchair traveling with a wedge of cheese and a bottle of wine,  this essential French wine and cheese pairing offers a true taste of France.