Chèvre is the French word for goat, and chèvre cheese refers to cheese made from goat's milk. Simple!
Now, goat's milk can be used raw or pasteurized (heated for 30 seconds at 74°C or 165°F). Lactic ferments and some rennet are added, which causes the milk to curdle slowly over a day or two. The solid curd, caseins (large milk protein molecules) and fat, is usually drained off in a cloth, separating it from the whey and excluded in cheese production.
The texture of the cheese varies according to the degree of rennet used to obtain the curd. The more rennet, the more consistent and less "milky" the paste. Each producer has his own recipe, a family secret that is passed down from generation to generation.
The cheese is then shaped into cylinders, pyramids, etc.
Salt is absolutely essential in perfecting the flavor of goat cheeses and preventing the proliferation of microorganisms. After molding, the cheeses may also be sprinkled with a fine powder of charcoal ash, most often from oak, and are known as "ash" cheeses.
Some of these cheeses can be eaten fresh, others will continue the maturation process, in a ventilated place with about 80% humidity, and turned regularly by hand. Cool fact; the outer mold characteristic of Chèvre, arises from the incorporation of specific fungi.
In his process, Adolfo Henriques from Granja dos Moinhos says that "the fungus that causes the mold (penicillium) is immediately incorporated into the milk, after the whey is removed and drained. Already in the cold room, the rolls coated with powdered charcoal, charcoal on which the fungi will feed, lead to the development of the mold that makes the outside of the cheese increasingly white, (which can be eaten). The time and environment of maturation, have a significant influence on touch, sight, smell and taste.
Most Chèvre cheeses on sale are "pure chèvre", which means, made exclusively from goat's milk.
Chèvre and Wine Pairings
Goat's milk cheeses are the most acidic of all. They are "dry" cheeses with a chalky note. Chèvre goat cheese has an even more contracted and drying texture, while at the same time conveying a feeling of lightness and freshness. Of course, the Chèvre and wine connection is up to each person's taste. But here are the key points when choosing the most suitable wines to pair with Chèvre, considering the cheese consumed alone, without accompaniment, jam, fruit, crackers, etc.
The most suitable wines, in general, should have good acidity, refreshing and not sour. Likewise, they should have a more or less intense fruit profile, moderate to light bodied, but firm and with a fluid consistency.
Our wine proposals take into account how Chèvre wines present themselves. Thus, for:
"Medium-Dry" Chèvre
Matured up to 10 days. Still fresh tasting, with a fresh butter and yogurt feel. Very delicate and melting texture, slightly milky. For a "Medium-Dry" Chèvre, a light-body white wine fruity and with sharp acidity would work great. A little, but very little, residual sugar will not be ruled out.
"Dry" Chèvre
They have a more intense flavor and a delicate but firm texture of the cream layer under the crust with fresh herbaceous aromas asking for a white wine with a more enveloping profile in the mouth, without dispensing acidity. With a "dry" Chèvre, opportunities are opened to sparkling wines with a younger and fruitier profile, with the bubbles creating a game of unexpected textures.
"Cured" Chèvre
At a month or so, the crust is well formed and crisp contrasting with the dough and the flavor getting more and more intense, with some "animal" and spicy finish. Some bitter and vegetal notes. A white wine with some barrel aging or a light red wine, with velvety tannins, combine the softness of texture with acidity and finish equivalent to that of the cheese.
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