AOC : Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée

In France, 47 cheeses have been awarded Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status. Though all very different in terms of shape and flavour, these cheeses are steeped in tradition, common sense and popular wisdom.
In 2008, Farmhouse Reblochon celebrated 50 years of AOC status.

 

The AOC defines the production area and guarantees that traditional methods are employed with regard to cattle rearing, cheese making and maturation.

In each of these areas, Reblochon meets a very precise set of specifications.

The concept of Appellation d'Origine goes back a long way. The practice of designating certain well-known products by the name of the area where they are produced goes back to ancient times.

In this way the deep forces that link the land to these products are implicitly recognised, through subtle exchanges between man, his local area and the animal kingdom.

Just like great wines which derive from individual varieties of grape, great cheeses are the successful outcome of an area's history, its local soil and the know-how of its people.

The Appellation d'Origine applies to a product whose qualities derive both from the properties of the local soil and methods of traditional production, with rules embodying this expertise passed down from generation to generation: "local, loyal and constant practices".