Saint-Nectaire
Also known as: Saint-Nectaire AOP, Saint Nectaire
Saint-Nectaire is a French semi-hard pressed PDO cheese made from cow's milk in Auvergne, in the Massif Central.
Saint-Nectaire is a French semi-hard PDO cheese made from cow's milk in Auvergne, in the Massif Central. It is a pressed, uncooked cheese: a small, low disc with a mould-dotted rind, a smooth ivory paste and a clean, lightly salty taste.
It is made only from renneted cow's milk, pressed, salted and ripened. At least 70 % of the cows' annual dry-matter ration is grass from the local area, and grazing lasts at least 160 days a year. The standard disc is 20–24 cm across and weighs 1.45–1.95 kg; the small one weighs 0.5–0.7 kg. Cellar ripening takes at least 28 days (21 for the small size). Ripeners wash, rub and turn the cheeses so a rind forms.
The area covers communes of Cantal and Puy-de-Dôme on volcanic soils above 700 m. The name entered gastronomy in the 17th century, appeared in print in 1786 and 1787, and was recognised as a designation by the Issoire court in 1955. The modest size suited farms with small herds; bigger holdings used their abundant summer milk for Cantal.
The taste is clean and mild, lightly salty, with milk, cream and butter, then cellar, straw mats, earth and a subtle nuttiness. The rind carries white, brown or grey mould.
Why it matters to you: the label must show the name, the PDO logo and whether the cheese is from a farm or a dairy. Portions with part of the characteristic rind also carry the name.
Facts
| Registered | PDO; Reg. (EC) 1107/96 (1996) |
|---|---|
| Raw material | Renneted cow's milk |
| Region | Auvergne: communes of Cantal and Puy-de-Dôme, France |
| Duration | At least 28 days in the cellar (small size 21) |
| Taste | Clean, mild, lightly salty; milk, cream, butter, cellar, nuts |
| Legal basis | Reg. (EC) 1107/96 (1996) |
How it connects to Cheese
Saint-Nectaire → kind of → 🧀 Semi-hard cheeses → kind of → 🧀 Cheese
Links
- Made from which milk
- 🥛 Cow's milk
- Part of
- 🧀 Semi-hard cheeses, 🏷️ Protected cheese names, 🇫🇷 French cheeses
Frequently asked questions
What milk is Saint-Nectaire made from?
Only renneted cow's milk.
How long is it ripened?
At least 28 days in the cellar; the small size from 21 days.
How big is it?
The standard disc is 20–24 cm wide and 1.45–1.95 kg; the small one 0.5–0.7 kg.
What do the rind and taste look like?
White, brown or grey mould; taste mild, lightly salty, milky and creamy with cellar and nut notes.
Is it true that Saint-Nectaire is a blue cheese?
No. It is a pressed, uncooked cheese; mould is only on the rind and the ivory paste has small holes.
Similar
Raclette de Savoie · 🧀 Morbier · Győr-Moson-Sopron megyei Csemege sajt · Lajta sajt · Liliputas · 🧀 Spressa delle Giudicarie
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.