Watch the "Prince of Gruyères" being born in mountain caves

How to Complete

3 steps curated by Wine Memories

1. 📜 1

   Descend Into the Aging Caves

   history Free

   Rows of wheels in darkness—each one numbered, stamped, becoming gold.

   Call +33 4 79 24 03 65 to reserve a free guided cave tour at Fromagerie de Moûtiers (20 Avenue des XVIè Jeux Olympiques, 20min from Courchevel). Tours run Mon-Fri, Saturdays in season. You'll enter the aging caves where Beaufort wheels—each 40kg+—rest in cool darkness for 5-18 months. The guide explains the AOC rules: only Tarine and Abondance cows, only alpine grass (no silage), only traditional copper vats. You'll see the morning's production and yesterday's wheels side by side.

   🔄 BACKUP: If tours are full, the shop is open and staff will explain the basics while you taste.

   🍷 Log Memory
2. 🍷 2

   Taste the Difference Altitude Makes

   wine $

   Summer alpine vs winter valley—same cheese, different universe.

   Ask to compare Beaufort d'Alpage with regular Beaufort at the tasting counter after the tour. Beaufort d'Alpage is the summer version—made in high mountain chalets at 1500m+ from cows eating wildflowers. Regular Beaufort is made in the valley in winter. The d'Alpage has floral notes, a different texture, a complexity that winter wheels can't match. This is TERROIR in cheese. If they have both, taste them back to back. The difference will change how you think about cheese.

   🔄 BACKUP: If no d'Alpage available, compare young (5 month) vs aged (18 month) wheels instead.

   🍷 Log Memory
3. ⛰️ 3

   Buy What the Caves Won't Sell Yet

   adventure $

   The shop has young wheels the caves are still aging—different pleasure, same magic.

   Buy both young and aged Beaufort wedges from the fromagerie shop after your tour. The shop sells wheels at various ages—some younger than what you saw in the caves. Buy a wedge of young (3-5 month) AND a wedge of aged (12-18 month). Take them to your chalet with a bottle of Savoie white—Roussette or Chignin-Bergeron works perfectly. Taste them side by side with wine. You'll understand aging in a way no restaurant cheese plate ever taught you. Beaufort keeps 2+ weeks refrigerated.

   🔄 BACKUP: If you can't take cheese home, at least buy a wedge to eat with wine that evening.

   🍷 Log Memory

Insider Tips

• ✦

  FREE tours but reservation required - call +33 4 79 24 03 65

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  Gold medal Paris 2018 - this is competition-grade Beaufort

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  Ask to taste Beaufort d'Alpage (summer alpine) vs regular - totally different

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  The shop sells cheese younger than the caves will show you - buy both to compare aging