Our Christmas orders are now closed. You can still buy our Cheese Subscriptions to start in January, as well as book our courses and tasting events. If you want to purchase vouchers you can do so until the 20th December but please note that it can take up to 48 hours for the vouchers to be emailed to you as we process these manually.
We have a full counter of cheese in our shop in Pangbourne so you can still come in and purchase items in store
Price range: £7.00 through £14.00
Due to an outbreak of Lumpy Skin Disease in France this cheese is currently unavailable. You can read more about this here
BUT we have sourced a similar, pasteurised cheese called “Fleur des Alpes” which you can order here
Reblochon PDO is a classic French cheese that evokes the Alps. It is the 3rd biggest selling PDO cheese in France and it even has its own website dedicated to it, which you can access here!.
The story of Reblochon dates back to the 13th century, in the valleys of Haute-Savoie and nearby Savoy. Back then, mountain farmers had to pay a tax to the landowners, based on how much milk their cows produced. To keep the taxman happy (but not too happy), the farmers would only half-milk their cows when the agent came round. Once he’d gone, they’d nip back and finish the job, a sneaky second milking called reblocher in the local dialect, which means ‘to pinch the cow’s udder again.’
That second milking didn’t yield much milk, but what it did yield was extra rich and creamy, perfect for making small, soft cheeses just for the farmers and their families. Over time, these little cheeses got their own name: Reblochon, the cheese of the second milking.
From these humble beginnings, Reblochon started to make a name for itself. What began as a clever bit of rural problem-solving soon became one of the region’s favourite cheeses. By the 1700s and 1800s, you’d find Reblochon at local markets and in plenty of Savoyard kitchens. People loved it because it matured quickly and still packed in loads of flavour, a real bonus when you didn’t have much space to stash things in the mountains.
Reblochon received its official stamp of approval in 1958, when it was awarded Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status, making it one of the first French cheeses to receive this kind of protection. Building on this national recognition, in 1996, it joined the European club as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese.
This PDO status means that Reblochon must be made in certain parts of Haute-Savoie and Savoie, right in the heart of the French Alps. The landscape there, with its lush summer pastures and chilly winters, gives the milk its special character. Only milk from approved Alpine breeds like Abondance, Montbéliarde, and Tarentaise is allowed, and these cows munch on all sorts of mountain grasses and herbs, which really comes through in the flavour.
Reblochon is still made the traditional way, using raw cow’s milk for farmhouse cheeses or thermised milk for dairy-made ones. Strict rules govern how the curds are handled, moulded, washed, and ripened. Cheese must be aged for at least 15 days, though many mature for longer to develop extra flavour. With PDO protection, Reblochon isn’t just a style of cheese; it’s a true taste of the Alps, preserving the region’s traditions and landscape.
Turning to the cheese itself, Reblochon is a small, round wheel, usually about 450g, and around 14 cm across and 3 to 4 cm thick. It’s just the right size for sharing with friends or family.
To make Reblochon, the raw milk is gently warmed, then rennet is added to set it into curds. The curds are cut, lightly pressed, and popped into moulds, with lots of turning to help them drain evenly. Once they’re out of the moulds, they get a sprinkle of salt and are sent off to the ageing cellars. The next step, the ageing process, defines the cheese’s unique qualities. While they’re maturing, the cheeses are washed with brine (that’s salty water), which gives them their thin, slightly sticky rind and that pale orange colour you see on washed-rind cheeses.
Most of those earthy, nutty aromas come from the rind. These hallmark traits make choosing authentic Reblochon all the more important. If you’re after the traditional stuff, look for a green casein label for farm. If you want the real deal, look for a green casein label for farmhouse Reblochon, or a red one for dairy-made. It’s a small detail, but it makes all the difference if you’re after authenticity.
Its creamy ivory interior has a smooth, slightly elastic paste. The aroma is gentle yet distinct, offering notes of warm cream, damp cellar, toasted nuts, and a mild barnyard earthiness, all aromatic yet rarely overpowering. The texture is velvety and supple; when fully ripe, it yields easily to a knife and may even ooze slightly at room temperature.
Unlike firmer Alpine cheeses, Reblochon has a soft, almost custard-like feel near the rind. The flavour begins with a mild sweetness, followed by a creamy, buttery mid-palate, and subtle nuttiness with hints of hazelnut. The finish is light, savoury, and earthy. Compared to stronger washed-rind cheeses like Époisses, Reblochon is refined and balanced, offering depth and complexity without being aggressively pungent.
Jen’s note: Farmhouse Reblochon (or Reblochon fermier) has to be made right on the farm, using milk from just one herd. That means you get real seasonal variation and a true taste of the farm, a level of detail you don’t often see these days.
Sizes and Prices
Storage Advice
Delivery and Collection
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, rennet, salt, ferments
Normal opening Monday – Saturday 9am – 4pm until:
Sunday 22nd 9am – 4pm
Monday 23rd 9am – 4pm
Christmas Eve 9am – 12pm
Christmas Day Closed
Boxing Day Closed
Friday 27th Closed
Saturday 28th 9am – 4pm
Sunday 29th Closed
Monday 30th 9am – 2pm
Tuesday 31st 9am – 2pm
New Year’s Day Closed
Thursday 2nd January Closed
Friday 3rd 9am – 4pm then open as normal
After Christmas our courier delivery slots start from 8th January.
