For someone who doesn’t typically want stuff in or on my cheese, I sure do love this herb- and spice-rubbed beauty. In fact, I can’t think of too many goat cheeses I enjoy more than this aromatic gem from France, which I wouldn’t hesitate to serve to goat cheese avoiders. People who think goat cheese is always tart and chalky are amazed when they encounter a chèvre as sweet, nutty and creamy as this one. So whether you’re a goat cheese enthusiast or on the never-chèvre side, prepare to be amazed.
Tomme de Fontenay is exclusive to Rodolphe Le Meunier, the famed French affineur. That’s your first clue that it’s going to repay your investment. Le Meunier doesn’t make the cheese—he buys it young from a creamery in the Vendée region—but he does the final maturing, exporting and marketing. The creamery applies the coating, a blend of herbes de Provence, white peppercorns, juniper berries and red chiles—a mix that resembles the rub on Corsica’s Fleur du Maquis. The wheels are sent to Le Meunier’s caves near Tours, where they spend another two to three months.
Master maturer: Rodolphe Le Meunier
The 4-pound tomme is more than twice the size of Fleur du Maquis, so the outside-to-inside ratio is different. And the Corsican cheese is from sheep’s milk so it’s a bit more savory. Tomme de Fontenay is pale ivory inside and infused with the scent of cave and sun-warmed mountain herbs. The texture falls right in the middle of the semisoft-semifirm spectrum, but the more mature the wheel is, the creamier and more aromatic. The flavor is delicate, nutty, herbal and sweet, like pale caramel. At room temperature, little droplets of fat may emerge on the cut surface, a feature I’m more accustomed to seeing on sheep cheese. The salting is just right, and there’s enough acidity to keep the sweetness from being cloying. Handsome appearance, captivating aromas, pleasing texture, balanced flavors—this cheese delivers on all fronts.
As for wine, the herbaceousness might steer you toward Sauvignon Blanc, which has herbal notes of its own. A Bordeaux blanc, which has Semillon to soften the Sauvignon Blanc, might be a better choice given the cheese’s sweetness. A Grenache or Côtes du Rhone could be a good partner, too, especially if the Tomme is more aged and stronger in aroma.
I have no idea why more retailers don’t carry this gorgeous cheese. Other Rodolphe Le Meunier selections are well represented at top cheese counters but this one is scarce. Importer Brad Dubé of Food Matters Again says he can get it for any shop that wants it. In California, Fresca Italia distributes it and has sold it recently to Cheese Shop of Beverly Hills, Farmstead Cheeses and Wines (Alameda and Oakland), Petaluma Market, Sacramento Natural Foods, Sunshine Foods (St. Helena), Wally’s (Los Angeles) and Wine Steward (Livermore). Capella Cheese in Atlanta currently has Tomme de Fontenay in stock and will ship nationwide.