Ossau-iraty named “best dairy cheese of the basque country” – lurrama 2025

11/20/2025 | News

On the occasion of the Peasant and Sustainable Agriculture Fair – Lurrama 2025, Maison Agour Etxea is honoured to have received the distinction of “Best Dairy Cheese of the Basque Country” for its Ossau-Iraty AOP.

This award comes in a particularly meaningful context: the 20th edition of this emblematic event, proudly celebrating a local, supportive, sustainable, and farmer-led agriculture, carried forward by Euskal Herriko Laborantza Ganbara (EHLG).

AN AWARD THAT HONOURS AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY

Receiving the Best Dairy Cheese of the Basque Country award at Lurrama 2025 is more than a distinction: it is the recognition of a truly collective commitment.

A commitment shared by milk producers, shepherds, our affineurs, and the entire Maison Agour Etxea team — proud to help pass on a living culinary heritage.

This recognition strengthens our belief: defending a Basque agriculture that is sustainable, supportive, and deeply rooted in its land is not only possible — it is essential.

A FAIR DEDICATED TO THE LAND — AND TO THOSE WHO BRING IT TO LIFE

The name Lurrama comes from the Basque language: “Lurra” meaning the earth, and “Ama” meaning the mother. It reflects a deep respect for a nourishing, sustainable and human approach to farming — the very foundation of Maison Agour Etxea’s commitment since the beginning.

Taking part in this event, and being honoured there, represents a true recognition of the daily work carried out by the region’s shepherds, cheesemakers and affineurs.

OSSAU-IRATY AOP: THE EXPRESSION OF A UNIQUE LAND

Our Ossau-Iraty AOP, made exclusively from ewe’s milk from the Basque Country and Béarn, is an emblem of our expertise. Crafted in the purest tradition, it reflects the region’s gastronomic identity, its pastoral richness, and the high standards of a committed supply chain.

Since 2008, our tommes have been matured on wooden boards, in our cellars, under the attentive eye of our master cheesemakers. This ageing method, faithful to long-standing practices, gives the cheese a melt-in-the-mouth texture, a natural rind, and a delicately distinctive flavour that has made it an essential reference.

AN INVITATION TO TASTE: DISCOVER OSSAU-IRATY AOP

Ossau-Iraty AOP is far more than a cheese: it is a sensory experience — a direct link to the mountains, the flocks, and the craftsmanship of the women and men who work every day to offer an exceptional product.

Each wheel is unique. So unique, in fact, that our cheeses can be found on restaurant tables and in the creations of talented chefs shaping the future of Basque gastronomy — in France and abroad (the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Australia, Chile, Canada, and beyond).

Try it and you’ll love it: taste it once… and you won’t want to be without it.