Doux chêne

1. History

Doux Chêne is a goat cheese produced for over thirty years in the hamlet of Douchanez, in the municipality of Monistrol d'Allier, in Haute-Loire. Its origins are deeply rooted in the local terroir, between the volcanoes of Velay and the granites of Gévaudan. The production of farmhouse goat cheeses is a tradition that the couple Émeric and Cécile decided to perpetuate at the Doux Chêne farm.

2. Physical characteristics

This cheese has an oval shape with a characteristic bloomy rind. Its fresh unit weight is 150 grams. It is a soft-paste cheese with a very fine and tight grain, giving it a remarkable creamy and delicate texture.

3. Taste profile

Doux Chêne, as its name suggests, offers a subtle and mild flavor. Its soft paste and bloomy rind give it a remarkable creamy texture. The raw milk used in its production brings exceptional authenticity and taste quality, reflecting the characteristics of its terroir. The farm also offers fresh cheeses with various coatings: flowers, chives, garlic and herbs, wild garlic, peppers, lemon green pepper, four peppers, or Indian flavor.

4. Production zone and period

This cheese is produced at 900 meters altitude in the heart of the future Regional Natural Park of Sources and Gorges of Haut-Allier. Thanks to two kidding periods of the herd, Doux Chêne is produced throughout the year. Goats graze on the slopes overlooking the Haut-Allier gorges during the warm season and are fed hay from natural meadows and GMO-free cereals in winter.

5. Certification

Doux Chêne is not currently certified AOC, AOP, or IGP. It is an artisanal farmhouse cheese produced according to traditional methods that respect the local terroir and environment.