France’s Auvergne region has a long tradition of cheesemaking and is home to some of the country’s most distinctive cheese’s. The area’s ancient volcanoes have eroded into rolling hills and plateaus with fertile soil and lush pasture, creating a unique micro-climate for cheesemaking. Milk used to produce the Terre des Volcans cheeses is carefully collected and the cheesemaking process begins that same day. A gentle, low temperature process is used to pasteurize the milk and a custom blend of cultures is added. These cultures are selected to offer the same robust flavor profile and balanced aromas found in many raw-milk blue cheeses. Once the wheels are formed, they are transferred to the caves for careful aging in the heart of Auvergne. The wheels are turned by hand many times during maturation and this care and attention helps develop the unique characteristics of each wheel to their full potential.