The French term for the art and science of ripening cheese, covering everything that happens between the fresh curd and the finished wheel. During affinage, cheeses are held in carefully controlled cellars where temperature, humidity, and airflow guide the work of enzymes and microbes: proteins break down into savory peptides and amino acids, fats release aromatic compounds, and surface molds or bacterial smears build the rind and its distinctive flavors. The affineur, a specialist ripener, tends each batch by turning, brushing, and washing the cheeses, judging readiness by touch, smell, and experience. Time spans days for fresh styles to years for hard alpine cheeses. This maturation stage is where a generic curd becomes Camembert, Roquefort, or Comte, and it explains why the same milk can yield profoundly different cheeses.