Bleu d’Avèze

Tasting Notes of the Curator

Bleu d’Avèze greets you with a pale ivory paste marbled delicately in blue mold, the veins stretching like soft strokes of cobalt in cream. Its aroma hums with meadow flowers and damp stone, followed by a rich, buttery elegance. On the palate, it’s surprisingly restrained—gentle tangs of wild herbs, a silken mouthfeel, and a finish both bright and velvety. It’s a blue that seduces rather than commands.

Pairings and Suggestions

With wine: Enhance its grace with sweet Sauternes, honeyed Jurançon, or a mellow, earthy red from Loire’s caves or the Northern Rhône.

On the board: Muse alongside ripe pears, figs, and spiced pecans for a dance of texture and tone.

In the kitchen: Gently crumble into risottos or swirl into velouté sauces for a layered whisper of depth.

Where Veins Meet Valleys

Bleu d’Avèze takes its name from the village of Avèze in Puy-de-Dôme, a land of rolling pastures and volcanic soil where dairy farming has been a way of life for centuries. Though it belongs to the same family as Bleu d’Auvergne, Bleu d’Avèze carries a gentler, more artisanal soul. Each wheel is pierced and aged in cool, humid cellars, a technique first discovered in the 19th century to let blue veins breathe and blossom. Unlike its larger industrial cousin, Bleu d’Avèze preserves the intimacy of tradition—it is a cheese that remembers the quiet craft of farmhouse cellars, where time, air, and milk converge into something enduringly alive.

Storage Instructions

Keep refrigerated at 2–6°C in waxed cheese paper or loosely wrapped in parchment to allow the cheese to breathe. You may also keep stored in its original packaging. Consume within 3–4 weeks of purchase for optimal flavor and texture.