Top 13 Néo-Aquitain Soft Cheeses

Etxaldia is a cheese producer located in France. They specialize in traditional Basque cheeses using local sheep's milk. The operation includes both farming and cheese-making processes, ensuring control over the entire production chain. Their products are known for their authentic flavors reflective of the Basque region's heritage.Expand

Buche de Chevre is a French cheese originating from the Poitou-Charentes region. Made from goat's milk, this soft cheese has a white color, bloomy rind, and a creamy, flaky texture. The flavors are tangy, earthy, and slightly sweet. The cheese is shaped into a log and it must mature for at least 7 days before consumption. It is recommended to serve Buche de Chevre with crusty baguettes, fruit, or honey. The cheese can also be used in salads and quiches. Pair it with a glass of robust red Bordeaux wine or a glass of crisp white wine from the Loire Valley.Expand

Chaumes is a French soft or semi-soft cheese made from cow’s milk. Its rind is washed, and its color is pale yellow. The cheese has a strong aroma, a supple, creamy, springy, and smooth texture, and a complex, nutty flavor. The name chaumes can be literally translated as stubble. It ages for about 4 weeks, after which it can be grilled or consumed on its own, accompanied by a piece of crusty bread. There is also a spreadable version of this cheese, known as chaumes la crème.Expand

Invented in 1976, Saint Albray is a flower-shaped French cheese made from pasteurized cow’s milk. It ripens for 2 weeks, and each petal consists of a half pound of cheese. This soft cheese has an edible washed rind and a creamy texture, while the flavors are mild, nutty, and sweet. It is recommended to pair Saint Albray with white bread, nuts, and wines such as Pinot Noir or Chianti.Expand

Chabichou du Poitou is a soft cheese made from full-fat goat's milk, with a characteristic appearance - it is shaped like a small cone called bonde, and it has a thin, wrinkled, white-grayish rind. It usually matures for 10-14 days before it's ready to be sold, but it can also mature for 5-6 weeks in order to develop a stronger taste. Its texture will become crumbly on the inside during the maturation process. Its taste is sweet, salty and tangy, similar to lemon zest when the cheese is young, or spicy and nutty when well-matured. Chabichou goes well with lighter, white wines, sparkling wines and beer, or with some drizzled honey as a dessert meal.Expand

Coeur de Chevre is a French cheese made from raw milk of the poitevine goat breed. It's easily recognizable by its heart shape, which is left to ripen in cellars for 7 days after it's been molded by hand. The aromas are fresh and milky, the texture is creamy and smooth, melting in the mouth, while the flavors are salty and slightly spicy, becoming even more pronounced if the cheese is left to age for a few months. Coeur de Chevre is traditionally wrapped in chestnut leaves which hide the bloomy edible rind underneath. It's recommended to pair it with sparkling white wines or light and fruity reds such as Beaujolais.Expand

Mothais-sur-Feuille is a traditional cheese hailing from the Poitou-Charentes region. The cheese is made from raw goat's milk since the 19th century, and it's usually left to age for 2 weeks before consumption. Underneath its bloomy rind, the texture is supple, creamy, and dense. The aromas are light, moldy, and earthy, while the flavors are lemony and woody with a long and delicate aftertaste. As it ages in a room with high humidity, the cheese is placed on a chestnut leaf, and when fully mature the texture becomes runny. It's recommended to pair the cheese with full-bodied red wines from the region.Expand

Cailladou is a French cheese originating from Allassac in the department of Correze. This fresh farmhouse cheese is made from raw cow’s milk. The texture is creamy, moist, soft, dense, and slightly grainy. The aromas are reminiscent of fresh milk, while the flavors are delicate, milky, and tangy. When consumed, the cheese is slightly melting on the palate.Expand

Carré du Poitou is a traditional cheese originating from Villemain. This square-shaped cheese is made from raw goat’s milk, and it’s left to age for at least 4 weeks before consumption. Underneath its bloomy and ashy rind, the texture is soft, dense, smooth, creamy, and slightly runny. The aromas are reminiscent of milk and hay, while the flavors are creamy, goaty, and fresh, with hints of hazelnuts. It’s recommended to try the cheese after it has been aged for 5 weeks, in the period from May to August (we’re not trying to say that it’s not good outside that period, but it’s the best from May to August).Expand

Capri Lezeen is a French cheese hailing from the marshy parts of Poitou. The cheese is made from goat's milk and it's usually left to age for 2 to 3 weeks. This aged fresh cheese has a sticky rind with traces of blue mold, and it's traditionally sold wrapped in chestnut leaves and packaged in a wooden box. The texture is creamy and runny, while the flavors and aromas are nutty and goaty. It's recommended to pair the cheese with Sancerre or Viognier and serve it with berries or fresh figs.Expand

La Taupiniere or Taupinette is a French cheese hailing from Poitou-Charentes. It was created by Gilles Jousseaume in 1973. The cheese is made from raw goat's milk and ages for 3 weeks in cellars. It's shaped into a dome, and the wrinkly rind has a natural blue-grey mold. The texture is smooth and creamy, the aromas are nutty, while the flavors are mild and nutty when young and tangy and sour as it ages, with a slightly sweet finish. It's recommended to pair this visually attractive cheese with a glass of Saint Joseph or Pinot Noir.Expand