Époisses is a pungent soft-paste cows-milk cheese. Smear-ripened, "washed rind" (washed in brine and "Marc de Bourgogne", the local pomace brandy), it is circular at around either or in diameter, with a distinctive soft red-orange color. It is made either from raw or pasteurized milk. It is sold in a circular wooden box, and in restaurants, is sometimes served with a spoon due to its extremely soft texture. The cheese is often paired with Trappist beer or even Sauternes rather than a red wine.