Livradois Saint Nectaire Cheese

Saint Nectaire is an ancient French gourmet cheese with a natural rind, made in the beautiful mountains of the Auvergne region. This is a raw milk cheese in France, but in order to sell it in the USA, the French creamery makes a pasteurized version of mostly Salers cows. The cheese is made in round flat discs. It has a grayish rind with light yellow or reddish patches. The supple paste is pale gold in color and becomes almost runny as it matures. It has a really earthy aroma. The paste alone has a sweet and grassy aroma and this is repeated in the flavor which is only slightly farmyard like. The cheese is semi-soft, supple, with a milky smell and a mild flavor. Saint Nectaire is really a delicious cheese that is worth savoring with a glass of red wine. It has a rich and perfumed flavor, derived from the pastures the Auvergne mountains.