Affineur
A specialist who buys young cheeses and ages them to their best in cellars of their own.
Also: affineuse, cheese ager, cheese finisher
An affineur is a person or business whose trade is ageing cheese rather than making it. They buy young cheeses from farms and dairies, sometimes only a few days old, carry them to their own cellars and look after them until they are ready. The work is hands-on: turning wheels, brushing or washing rinds, moving cheeses between rooms of different temperature and humidity, and tasting with a cheese iron to judge when each one is right. Good affineurs know the habits of each farm's milk and choose cheeses as a wine merchant chooses barrels. France has the strongest tradition, but the role has spread to Britain, the United States and elsewhere, and many cheesemongers now act as their own affineurs.