Top 16 Centrien Goat Cheeses

Chavignol is a small cheese made from raw goat's milk that must weigh at least 60 grams. Its color is white or ivory and it has a dense, moist texture with a thin, moldy rind on the outside. The flavor of Chavignol is full, slightly nutty and 'goaty'. It can mature for up to three months, and when the rind drastically changes its color and becomes very hard, and the body becomes drier and crumbly, the origin of its name - crottin, meaning horse dung in French, is explained. Chavignol is great when grilled and served hot on a salad or eaten with bread and bacon. Young Chavignol should be paired with white wines, while the older ones pair nicely with full-bodied red wines. Expand

Selles-sur-Cher is a soft cheese made from full-fat goat's milk, dusted with wood ash to develop a unique rind with strong mineral notes. It is produced in Western Sologne including the Cher region in France. The word 'Selles' refers to the shape of the cheese, that is, a disk. The texture is that of moist clay and the flavor of the body tastes salty, goaty, nutty, and grass-like. The more mature it is, the more its nutty flavor is pronounced. If the rind is eaten together with the cheese, it produces a more intense, sharper flavor due to the ash remnants and mold. It goes well with white wines, like most goat cheeses usually do, and it is perfect for the end of a meal, served in salads or with sliced fruit such as apples or pears.Expand

Sainte-Maure de Touraine is a soft cheese made of full-fat goat's milk unusually shaped like a log, weighing about 250 grams. The cheese was made since the 19th century under the name Sainte-Maure in the Tours region in France. It is also easily recognizable by a long straw that is pricked throughout its body, to help in the production process and to make sure that the cheese does not fall apart. Sainte-Maure has a slightly salty and nutty taste that is reminiscent of walnuts, with a lemony finish. Its rind is thin and smooth, with a blue to gray mold covering it. The interior is creamy in texture and fully white. Pair it with dry white wines and light red wines for the best experience.Expand

Valençay is a soft cheese with an unusual visual appearance, made from goat's milk in the French regions of Cher, Indre, Indre-et-Loire and Loir-et-Cher. It is shaped like a pyramid with its top cut off, and according to a legend, it used to have a full pyramid shape until Napoleon cut the top off with his sword upon his arrival back home from a failed expedition to Egypt. The cheese is covered with a natural blue-gray mold coated with a mix of salt and charcoal and its body is smooth and dense in texture while the taste is slightly piquant, mild, nutty and lemony. Pair it with dry white or sparkling wines.Expand

Hailing from the Loire Valley in France, Bûcheron is a traditional cheese made from goat's milk. Interestingly, it was the first French goat cheese that was exported to the United States. Bûcheron has an ivory-colored rind and interior, while flavors may vary – when young, the center is dense and crumbly with sharp and tangy notes and mushroomy flavors, but with age, the paste starts to break down, resulting in a soft and gooey layer that's in contrast to Bûcheron's firmer center with lemony flavors. Semi-aged and ripened for 5 to 10 weeks, Bûcheron is traditionally produced in short logs that are sliced and sold as small rounds in stores. It is recommended to use Bûcheron in salads, sandwiches, with crusty bread, chutneys, fruit jams, or crackers.Expand

Pouligny-Saint-Pierre is a traditional cheese with a natural rind made from goat's milk in the French region of Indre. It is the first goat cheese with a protected status in France. Visually impressive, it comes in the shape of a pyramid with a soft and wrinkly rind. Because of its shape, it is often affectionately called 'The Eiffel Tower'. The ivory rind becomes red to orange as it ages, giving a stark contrast to the purely white body with a creamy and slightly grainy texture on the inside. The taste is complex, slightly sweet, nutty and acidic, reminiscent of herbs and white wine. Pair Pouligny-Saint-Pierre with dry white wines.Expand

Coeur de Touraine (lit. the heart of Touraine) is a heart-shaped French cheese made with raw goat's milk. Apart from being distinguishable by its shape, it can also be easily recognized by its aromatic ash-covered edible rind. The cheese matures for a minimum of 3 weeks. The texture of Coeur de Touraine is thick and creamy, while the flavors are goaty, milky, and tangy, with a slightly salty aftertaste. It is recommended to serve the cheese with raisin bread or nut bread and a glass of white wine.Expand

Fleur de Sologne is a traditional cheese originating from the Sologne area in the Loire valley. The cheese is small and flower-shaped, made from raw goat's milk. It's usually left to age from 10 to 15 days before consumption. Underneath its bloomy ash-coated rind, the texture is soft, creamy, and dense. The aromas are lactic, goaty, floral, and fruity, while the flavors are delicate, floral, fresh, and clean. It's recommended to serve Fleur de Sologne on a cheese board or use it in salads. Pair it with a glass of dry white wine on the side such as Sancerre Blanc.Expand

Barbeillon is a traditional cheese that’s produced in Sassay (Val de Loire). The cheese is made from raw goat’s milk. It’s usually left to age from 3 to 5 weeks in humid cellars. Underneath its thin ashy and bloomy rind, the texture is soft and dense, but over time it becomes runny and silky. The aromas are reminiscent of fresh milk and hay, while the flavors are fresh, goaty, mild, slightly salty, and herbaceous. It’s recommended to pair this cheese with a white wine from Touraine.Expand

Arthon is a traditional cheese produced in the region of Indre (Centre-Val de Loire). The cheese is made from raw goat’s milk and it’s shaped like a pyramid. Underneath its thin bloomy rind, the texture of the ivory white paste is soft. The flavors are goaty, milky, and delicate. The cheese can usually be tasted from March to November.Expand