St. Nectaire

St. Nectaire is one of the great cheeses of the Auvergne — a washed-rind cow's milk cheese with an AOC pedigree and a history stretching back to the seventeenth century, when it was served at the court of Louis XIV and earned the nickname "le fromage des rois" (the cheese of kings). Made in the volcanic highlands of the Massif Central, in a landscape of ancient lava flows and rich mountain pasture, St. Nectaire has a character entirely its own: earthy, mushroomy, and complex, with a supple, yielding paste and the distinctive grey-orange rind that comes from its unique cave-ageing process.

This is a pasteurised version from Paul Dischamp, one of the reliable producers in the region — approachable and consistent, with the characteristic St. Nectaire flavour profile: an aroma of damp earth, hay, and mushroom; a paste that is soft and creamy with a slight springiness; and a flavour that is mild and nutty at the centre, with more complex, savoury, and slightly funky notes developing toward the rind. A cheese that rewards eating with the rind on. Serve it at room temperature with crusty bread, walnuts, or charcuterie, and pair it with a glass of light red Burgundy, a Beaujolais, or an earthy natural wine. One of France's most satisfying and underrated cheeses.