Our three best places to enjoy a soumaintrain

Marc Esquerré | 11/16/23

Soumaintrain, named after the Yonne village of the same name, is a raw-milk, soft, washed-rind cheese made in the region since the Middle Ages.

It may not be the best-known of Burgundy cheeses, but its powerful, creamy flesh brings it close to the great Epoisses, and it generally combines delicacy and persistence. It's made from cow's milk, raw or pasteurized, with a soft, washed white rind (when fresh) or orange rind (when ripened). Like many cheeses, it's the ripening process carried out by the producer or creamer that makes the difference in quality. The cheese should be soft, firm and slightly creamy, and should be eaten when it's neither too fresh nor too ripe, to avoid pungency.

A second life for soumaintrain

The end of the Second World War signaled the end of small-scale artisanal production. It wasn't until the 1970s that young farmers took an interest in local production and launched a renaissance of this delicious cheese: an initiative that was rewarded by the award of an appellation.

Our three best addresses for tasting soumaintrain

Ferme Lorne ❤

In Soumaintrain, the birthplace of cheese-making, the Lorne family welcomes visitors to their typical livestock farm, where you can find ripened fresh cheeses, milk, farmhouse IGP soumaintrain (since 1978), saint-florentin, every day of the week. The members of the family will be happy to tell you all about the production process.

Tasting notes: A beautiful farmhouse look, a powerful aroma for a full-flavored cheese with notes of barn and hay. Smooth on the palate, well matured, it asserts itself on tasting. A slight chalky nuance, with ideal length and a very good overall impression.

Aged 33 days
8, rue de l'Étang, 89570 Soumaintrain
Price not given

La Ferme Leclere

Founded in 1984, the GAEC Leclere farm has a herd of cows fed mainly with produce from its own farm, and processes soumaintrain IGP raw milk cheeses, chaource PDO, fromage frais and yoghurts. Dairy products, beef and pork are sold on the farm and at the Saint-Florentin market.

Tasting notes: A beautiful cheese, slightly marbled, pleasant and classic. A nose of fresh fermented milk, with slightly lumpy flesh and a rind that quickly peels off. Quite pronounced acidity, a good creamy impression on the palate for a relatively neutral cheese.

Aged 24 days
Price: €6 each
4, rue des Sablons, 89570 Soumaintrain
www.gaec-leclere.fr

Fromagerie Le Roux

Pascal Le Roux, now supported by his wife Christel, took over the family business in 2008. Founded by his parents Claude and Danièle, the cheese dairy is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and has recently moved to Migennes. Pascal is particularly committed to the protection of soumaintrain, helping to set up a quality charter.

Tasting notes: An attractive artisanal cheese, creamy in appearance, with supple flesh and good chewiness. The nose reveals farmhouse notes of hay, and the palate is fairly rich, with good persistence, character and generosity.