Chevrotin

Did You Know?

• Chevrotin resembles Reblochon, a cow-milk cheese made in the same Savoy regions but lower in the valleys.
• The cheese has a thin coating of soft reddish-brown rind, similar to that of Munster.
• During winter, goats are housed in sheds and fed hay.

Production

Chevrotin has been made since the 17th century in the Alpine foothills of the Savoyard Chablais, Bauges and Aravis districts. The steep gradients, damp climate and thin limestone soil support only limited vegetation, so goats—sure-footed like the chamois—are the main domesticated animals. The cheese is produced from filtered but unpasteurised goat milk, and the herd must consist of at least 80% alpine breed goats to meet AOC criteria. After a minimum three-week ripening on pine timber shelves, each cheese is turned and washed with brine three times per week.

Taste

Chevrotin has a full flavour with an aromatic sourness that recalls the wild herbs eaten by mountain goats in spring and summer. It can be served with bread at breakfast or on a cheese-board. The best eating season is between May and September, about five weeks after manufacture, though it is available from April to November. Winter hay feeding does not produce the herb-based flavour that enthusiasts value.