L'Artisan Mountain Man

The cheese

Mountain Man is made on Victoria's Great Ocean Road by Matthieu Megard, a third-generation cheesemaker who grew up in the French Alps. He uses organic milk from a single herd of Jersey cows. The cheese is made in the style of Reblochon, the washed-rind cheese of the Savoie mountains, and is washed in brine as it ripens to build its sticky, apricot-coloured rind. The result is an Australian cheese with a distinctly Alpine character.

Tasting notes

The paste is soft and supple, with a gentle farmyard aroma that is milder than the rind suggests. The flavour is round and meaty, with a buttery richness from the Jersey milk and a lightly nutty finish. Like most washed-rind cheeses, its bark is louder than its bite.

How to enjoy

This is the cheese for tartiflette, the Alpine bake of potatoes, onion, bacon and cream topped with a whole washed-rind cheese. It is just as good on a board with crusty bread and cornichons. Pair it with an Alsace-style Pinot Gris, a Gewürztraminer or a Pinot Noir. Take it out of the fridge an hour before serving so the centre softens. For a simple winter dinner, bake it whole in a hot oven for 15 minutes and scoop it up with bread and boiled potatoes.