Roquefort

Authentic Roquefort cheese is made exclusively from the raw milk of Lacaune sheep. These specific sheep are bred and raised in the rugged limestone causse plateaus of southern France. The use of any other type of milk, such as cow or goat milk, legally disqualifies the cheese from being sold as Roquefort.

Roquefort is produced specifically in the south of France, in the commune of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon. By law, the cheese must be aged in the natural, cool, and humid Combalou caves of this specific region. These historic mountain caves provide the unique microclimate necessary for the cheese's blue mold to thrive.

Roquefort proudly received the very first French Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) designation in 1925. This legal protection ensured that only cheese aged in the specific natural caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon could bear the famous name. The designation was established to safeguard traditional production methods and protect the local agricultural economy.

Roquefort is aged by injecting the prepared sheep's milk cheese curds with Penicillium roqueforti mold spores. The young cheese wheels are then placed on oak planks inside the natural Combalou caves for a minimum of 90 days. The circulating, moisture-rich cave air allows the blue veins to spread throughout the cheese, creating its sharp flavor.