Chevrotin
Name of Group of Producers
Syndicat Interprofessionel du Chevrotin
Maison du Reblochon, BP 22
F - 74230 Thà´nes
CERTIPAQ
44 rue de la Quintinie 75 015 PARIS
Tel: (33 1) 45 30 92 92
Fax: (33 1)45 30 93 00
Chevrotin is a cheese made exclusively from goat's milk; the cheeses are cylindrical, with a diameter of 9 to 12 centimetres and a height of 3 to 4.5 centimetres, and weigh 250 to 350 grammes. This cheese is pressed, uncooked, with a washed rind, partially or totally covered after maturing with a fine white mould composed mainly of geotrichum and contains at least 45 grams of fat for
100 grams of cheese after complete desiccation with a dry matter content no less than 45 grams for 100 grams of cheese.
As soon as it is mature, Chevrotin is individually packaged in a pack that includes a removable base consisting in a thin sheet of spruce. Chevrotin cheeses are packaged whole.
Geographical area: The area includes the whole territory of the following municipalities in the department of Haute-Savoie:
Abondance, Alex, Allèves, Aràªches, Aviernoz, Bellevaux, Bernex, Boà«ge, Bogève, Bluffy, Bonnevaux, Brizon, Burdignin, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Chà¢tel, Chevenoz, Chevaline, Combloux, Cons-Sainte-Colombe, Cordon, Demi-Quartier, Dingy-Saint-Clair, Domancy, Doussard, Entremont, Entrevernes, Essert-Romand, Faverges, Giez, Habère-Lullin, Habère-Poche, La-Balme-de-Thuy, La Baume, La Chapelle-d'Abondance, La Chapelle Saint-Maurice, La Clusaz, La Cà´te-d'Arbroz, La Forclaz, La Rivière-Enverse, La Tour, La Vernaz, Lathuile, Le Biot, Le Bouchet, Le Grand-Bornand, Le Petit-Bornand-les-Glières, Le Reposoir, Les Clefs, Les Contamines-Montjoie, Les Gets, Les Houches, Les Villards sur Thà´nes, Leschaux, Lullin, Magland, Manigod, Marlens, Megève,
Mègevette, Mieussy, Montmin, Montriond, Mont Saxonnex, Morillon, Morzine, Nancy-sur-Cluses, Nà¢ves-Parmelan, Novel, Onnion, Passy, Praz-sur-Arly, Reyvroz, Sallanches, Samoà«ns, Saxel, Serraval, Servoz, Seythenex, Seytroux, Sixt-Fer-à -Cheval, Saint-Andrè-de-Boà«ge, Saint-Eustache, Saint-Ferrèol, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, Saint-Jean-d'Aulps, Saint-Jean-de-Sixt, Saint-Jean-de-Tholomè, Saint-Jeoire, Saint-Laurent, Saint-Sigismond, Saint-Sixt, Talloires, Taninges, Thollon-les-Mèmises, Thà´nes, Thorens-Glières, Vacheresse, Vailly, Vallorcine, Verchaix, Villard sur Boà«ge, Villaz, Villeen-Sallaz, Viuz-en-Sallaz. The area includes part of the following municipalities: Ayze, Duingt, Gruffy, La Roche-sur-Foron, Lugrin, Marignier, Marnaz, Perrignier, Scionzier, Saint-
Jorioz, Viuz-la-Chièsaz The area includes part of the following municipalities: Ayze, Duingt, Gruffy, La Roche-sur-Foron, Lugrin, Marignier, Marnaz, Perrignier, Scionzier, Saint-Jorioz, Viuz-la-Chièsaz The area includes the whole territory of the following municipalities in the department of Savoie: Aillon-le-Jeune, Aillon-le-Vieux, Allondaz, Arith, Bellecombe-en-Bauges, Clèry, Cohennoz, Crest-Volland, Doucy-en-Bauges, Ecole-en-Bauges, Flumet, Jarsy, La Compà´te, La Giettaz, La-Motteen-Bauges, La Thuile, Le Chà¢telard, Le Noyer, Les Dèserts, Lescheraines, Notre-Damede-Bellecombe, Puygros, Saint-Franà§ois-de-Sales, Saint-Nicolas-la-Chapelle, Sainte-Reine, Thoiry, Ugine. The area includes part of the following municipalities: Hauteluce, Le Montcel, Marthod, Mercury, Montailleur, Plancherine, Saint-Jean-d'Arvey, Saint-Jeande-la-Porte, Saint-Offenge-Dessus, Thènèsol, Verrens Arvey, Villard sur Doron.
The earliest references to Chevrotin date back to the 18th century, but the cheese had probably already been known in Savoie and Haute Savoie for some time before then.
Chevrotin is exclusively a farm product. The milk used is never obtained by collection from a number of herds, but is always that of a single herd. Most of the milk used to produce Chevrotin comes from Alpine breeds of goat. There are two separate herd-management seasons, based on the use of the natural resources of the mountains.
» During the winter season, which lasts five to seven months, fodder is used, mainly from the local area. Locally-produced fodder accounts for at least 70 % in dry weight of total fodder consumption.
» For the remaining period of at least five months, feeding is based on grazing the spontaneous vegetation of the diversified pasture on the heights.
Supplementary feeding is marginal. Each goat has an available area of at least 1 000 square metres. Milk output per goat is limited.
The milk is used raw and whole, with no standard protein or fat content. All physical processing other than filtering to eliminate macroscopic impurities is prohibited. It is prohibited to remove anything from the milk, or to add anything other than rennet, lactic
ferment and salt (sodium chloride). From milking to the end of the manufacturing process, the milk temperature must never be lower
than 10° Celsius or higher than 40° Celsius. No more than 14 hours may elapse between milking the first batch and adding rennet. Simple cooling of the milk helps to encourage natural ferments and to avoid the development of psychotropic flora. After the addition of rennet, the milk rapidly coagulates. cut to a size between that of a grain of rice and a grain of maize. For moulding, the curds are placed in individual moulds. After filling, the moulds are turned once. Pressing takes six to twelve hours, during which the moulds are turned at least once more. The cheese is then salted, then dried for five to nine days at a temperature between 15 °C and 20 °C, during which time the cheeses are turned daily. Maturing lasts at least 21 days on a spruce board, to develop the aromatic qualities of the cheese; during the maturing phase, the cheeses are turned at least three times a week. The only surface colouring agents authorised are carotene (E160a) and rocou (E160b).
