Charolais

1. History

The history of Charolais dates back to the 16th century, when farmers in the Charolais hills decided to raise goats in addition to their cattle. This practice, typically reserved for women, helped maintain hedgerows and meadows while providing supplementary income and food for families. Farmers named their first goat cheese after their region. From the 1960s onwards, production became established in pure goat's milk, and mixed farms gradually disappeared.

2. Physical characteristics

Charolais is a large-format cheese with a cylindrical shape slightly domed at the top, measuring 7 cm in height and 6 cm minimum diameter. It weighs between 250 and 310 grams after a minimum of 16 days of aging. Its paste is cream-colored, firm and smooth, with a fat content of approximately 28%. Its rind evolves from beige/ivory when young to bluish as it flowers, with blue spots of penicillium potentially appearing during aging.

3. Taste profile

Charolais is a raw goat's milk cheese made from lactic curd. During aging of at least 16 days, the cheese develops all its aromatic notes and becomes covered with white down. It is one of the largest goat cheeses made with raw whole milk, offering a soft paste with natural rind. It is best enjoyed accompanied by white wine.

4. Production zone and period

Charolais is produced in the Charolais bocage region of Burgundy, spanning four departments: Saône-et-Loire (219 communes), Loire (31 communes), Rhône (21 communes), and Allier (16 communes). Production is primarily farmhouse-based, using milk from Alpine and Saanen goat breeds. Traditionally, the cheese was dried in traditional cheese cages called « chazières ».

5. Certification

Charolais received its Protected Designation of Origin (PDO/AOP) in 2014. This certification guarantees that the cheese is made according to traditional methods, with raw and whole goat's milk, ladled into large molds and manually turned twice daily during draining.