Flavour : grassy, mushroomy, nutty
Aroma : earthy, grassy, pungent

St. Nectaire is a French semisoft, washed rind cheese from the Auvergne region of France. Made from the milk of Salers cows that feed on rich, volcanic pastures, St. Nectaire is both a fermier (farmhouse) and industrial cheese. Depending whether the processes are artisanal (raw milk) or industrial (pasteurised milk), the texture attributes in St. Nectaire are vastly different. AOC awarded, St. Nectaire fermier takes 6 to 8 weeks to mature on rye straw mats, imparting a peculiar pungent smell to the cheese. When properly aged, it has a grayish-purple washed rind, dotted with white, yellow and red molds.
The creamy, supple, silky textured paste melts in the mouth to reveal flavours of nuts, hay, cellars and mushroom.
It goes well with Bordeaux, Shiraz, Côtes d'Auvergne or Beaujolais.

Country of origin : France
Region of origin : Auvergne
Milk type : cow
Pasteurised : no
Cheese type : semi hard
Fat content : 45%