Protected Designation of Origin

Pressed cheese made from Murcian goats’ milk and ripened for a minimum of 45 days for large cheeses and 30 days for small ones. Macerated in red Spanish wine to give the rind the characteristic color and aroma.

Tasting notes:

A pleasantly acid aroma and low salty flavor. The red wine in which the cheese is soaked during ripening, gives a flowery aroma and a pleasant aftertaste with reminiscences of goat’s milk and cream. The texture is soft, creamy and elastic.

The rind is smooth, very light and a characteristic wine color. The paste is dense, compact when cut, ivory-colored and may have a few small holes.

Labeling warranty:

Only by seeing the Regulatory Council label (violet sash), and the red and yellow european logo, you can trust in the origin of the cheese. Different brands of Murcia cheese PDO are avalaible at groceries, but all of them have this little label in commun. This is our authenticity warranty.

Production method:

Milk yield is high in Murcian goats. This goat breed has been selected over centuries and nowdays produces over 600 kg of milk per season. The milk has high average fat, protein and dry matter content, making it excellent for cheesemaking.

After milking, the milk is filtered and soured using animal rennet or other authorized starters. This process takes place at 30-34ºC (86-96.8ºF) for 40-60 minutes.

The resulting curds are then cut until grains 6-8 mm (2-3”) in diameter are obtained. They are washed by extracting 15% of the whey and adding water, then heated to 3-4ºC (37-39ºF) above the souring temperature. The curds are then worked until a softish consistency.

They are packed into molds and pressed for 2-4 hours until the right pH is obtained. Salting is made by immersion in brine for a maximum of 20 hours.

Finally, the large cheeses (over 1 k), are ripened for a minimum of 45 days and the small ones for a minimum of 30 days. During this period they are macerated in Murcian red wine. This wine is produced from Monastrell grapes, a local variety, that gives the rind a high coloring power and tannin content as well as a strong floral aroma, all of which are passed on to the cheese.

Murcia al vino PDO is the only european goat cheese soaked in red wine. Let´s taste the Original!