Grand Est · France
Langres.
Langres announces itself with a pungent, spicy aroma that gives way to a luxuriously creamy interior—soft enough to spoon from its rind. The flavor profile dances between earthy funk and bright fruitiness, with subtle notes of Marc de Bourgogne adding a winey complexity beneath the mild barnyard tang. Its washed rind clings to the cheese like a second skin, giving way to a cloud-like center that coats your mouth with umami-rich richness.
Origin
47.9°N · 5.4°E
The story
How it's made.
Why it tastes that way.
Langres has been made on the Plateau de Langres in the Haute-Marne since at least the 18th century, when it was documented in the accounts of travelers crossing Champagne on the route to Burgundy. Its most distinctive feature is the 'fontaine' — a concave depression in the top of the wheel, deliberately formed by never turning the cheese during ripening, which traps condensed moisture and intensifies the orange, annatto-colored rind.
This hollow is traditionally filled with a splash of Champagne or Marc de Bourgogne before serving. The cheese received its AOC in 1991. The washed rind achieves its characteristic orange through Brevibacterium linens bacteria applied during frequent brine-washing.
Production · spec
- Milk
- Cow · raw
- Family
- Washed-rind
- Rind
- washed
- Age
- 1–2 mo
- Protected
- AOP · since 1996
- Intensity
- 4 / 5
- Texture
- soft
Tasting profile
What it tastes like.
These bars are a visual read of Langres's flavour and aroma notes, scaled by the cheese's overall intensity — a quick guide, not a lab measurement.
Aroma
Nutrition · per 100 g serving
What's in a wedge.
A 100 g serving — about a finger-thick wedge. Daily values use the FDA 2020 reference of 2,000 kcal. Expect ±5% variation between wheels.
Serve, cut & store
Out of the fridge,
into its prime.
Guidance for washed-rind cheeses — general practice, not a per-wheel measurement.
Rest
Take it out about 1.5–2 h before serving — cold stiffens the fat and locks up the aromas; cool room temperature is when the flavour shows up.
Cut
Slice in wedges with the rind on — or for a very ripe wheel, take off the top and spoon.
Store
Wrap leftovers in cheese paper or wax paper — never cling film, which suffocates the rind — and keep them in the warmest part of the fridge.
Rule of thumb: the softer and riper, the longer it needs. Thick pieces need longer than thin — and don't leave cheese out much past two hours.
Pairings · Caseo curated
What goes with Langres.
57 pairings across 5 categories.
Wine
Where to find it
Cheese counters.
Counter listings for Langres are being verified. Check back soon.
Verified counter listings coming soon. Our team updates listings monthly.
Substitutes
No Langres at the counter?.
These will play a similar role on the board and in the pan.
Take it with you
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