Cheese Ripener

Taking care of cheeses

We sometimes forget that Jean-Yves Bordier set out as a cheese ripener.

Discovering the maturing cellars of Maison Bordier means entering into a world apart that combines the smells of the farm with the gestures of the goldsmith.
From the cellars to shipping, the Maison once again combines the expression of unique know-how, the inspiration of encounters and the ultimate requirement to satisfy the expectations and tastes of the client.

After working alongside Jean-Yves Bordier for more than 20 years, today it is Vincent Philippe, World Champion of Cheesemakers 2023, who selects and matures Maison Bordier cheeses.

A selection born from cheese friendships

Each cheese tells of a special relationship with a supplier. Some collaborations are old and the loyalty renewed over the generations.

And then, there are always new encounters, local treasures or finds discovered during visits and travels. This Ossau Iraty revives the memory of this couple of farmers and the dogs that lead the herd to the mountain pastures, and this Chabichou du Poitou comes exclusively from a single farm and even from a single cheesemaker with rare talent. This Reblochon-type cheese comes from a small Breton farm that knows how to combine surprisingly delicate texture and animal note.

In recent years, the number and quality of Breton cheeses have increased and offer exciting discoveries.

7 maturing cellars

The cellars have the shape of half-vaults covered with bricks which have a regulating effect on the humidity. We are as close as possible to the conditions of natural cellars, such as those which house the grands crus. We also feel this same emotion of living, sensitive and mysterious time. There too the gesture of man prolongs and completes the work of Mother Nature.

These cellars bring together between 190 and 220 varieties of cheese, most of which originate from France. Every day, the cheese ripener “feeds” his cellars, and modifies the assembly and scheduling according to the arrival and evolution of the cheeses.

Each cellar has specific temperature and hygrometry characteristics, and each has its own specificity but the order may vary. Everything is precise but nothing is set in stone. The seasons also dictate the evolution of the cheeses.

Care gestures

Maturing a cheese means giving it the care that will allow it to achieve the taste sought by the client.

There is a first refining of oblivion which consists in receiving the cheeses and letting them recover in the cellar before unpacking them, aerating them, assigning them to a specific cellar. Then comes the time of observation: the ripener enters a cellar; he is attentive to a smell, to the appearance of a rind or a paste. Turning is an important gesture that allows the cheese to breathe.

Then come the specific gestures of care according to the types of cheese. Some are rubbed, brushed in order to limit the development of certain moulds, for example; others are literally caressed while others are delicately washed with water or sprinkled with alcohol or brandy.

To meet client’s wishes

The ageing process does not follow a homogeneous and systematic process. It’s a matter of taste and, above all, a question of knowing how to meet the client’s expectations. The commercial relationship is a relationship of trust, forged by mutual knowledge and loyalty.

Each order is different according to the taste of the client but also according to the purpose of the order, whether it is for a platter or culinary use. Some clients are looking for a more classic offer, others favour artisanal farming products.

Beyond ripening, the master cheesemonger must also compose platters. To the assembly of tastes, colours, flavours is added the art of cutting. This has an aesthetic function as much as a taste one.

Advice from our teams

In each of the Bordier boutiques and at the resellers, the cheese maker extends the work accomplished in the workshops through advice and service. They encourage their client to discover according to the seasons and novelties, adapt to their particular expectations.

Trust and curiosity inspire this often loyal relationship.

Finally, each cheese is wrapped in a branded paper with a double fold that marks the beauty of the final gesture.