Class 1.3. — Cheeses

‘Robiola di Roccaverano’ is a cheese made throughout the year from fresh curd subjected to ripening or maturing.

‘Robiola di Roccaverano’ PDO is cylindrical in shape with straight faces with slightly bevelled edges and a slightly convex lateral surface. The faces are between 10 and 14 cm in diameter and the lateral surface is 2,5 to 4 cm in height. Each cheese weighs between 250 and 400 grams. These parameters apply at the end of the minimum maturation period.

The reference criteria for ‘Robiola di Roccaverano’ as regards fat, protein substances and ash are as follows:

fat: minimum 40 % of dry matter protein substances: minimum 34 % of dry matter ash: minimum 3 % of dry matter.

The organoleptic properties of ‘Robiola di Roccaverano’ cheese vary according to the degree of ripening it undergoes:

fresh cheese ripened between 4 and 10 days: rind: this may be present in the form of a light natural bloom of mould or may be absent; external appearance: milky white or straw-yellow; paste: milky white; structure: creamy, soft; taste and flavour: delicate, rich and/or slightly sour; and the mature cheese ripened for 11 days or more: rind: in the form of a natural bloom of mould; external appearance: milky white or straw-yellow or slightly reddish; paste: milky white; structure: soft, slightly more compact as maturing progresses, the flavoursome part next to the rind may be creamy.

The aromas and tastes of ‘Robiola di Roccaverano’ are intensified as the cheese is matured up to the point of pungency.

‘Robiola di Roccaverano’ is made from raw whole milk sourced exclusively from the production area from goats of the Roccaverano and Camosciata Alpina breeds and their crosses, ewes of the Pecora delle Langhe breed and cows of the Piemontese and Bruna Alpina breeds and their crosses in the following proportions: using either raw whole goats' milk exclusively or a blend of goats' milk with up to 50 % raw whole cows' and/or ewes' milk, from successive milkings carried out within a period of between 24 and 48 hours.

The sheep and goats are fed by grazing between 1 March and 30 November and with green and/or dried fodder and fresh and processed cereal grain, legumes and oleaginous plants. Parcels of meadow-pasture, grassland and woodland must be entered in a register held by the inspection body. The cows are fed by grazing and with green and/or dried fodder and fresh and processed cereal grain, legumes and oleaginous plants.

More than 80 % of the feed of all the animals must come from the production area. The use of maize silage and fodder is prohibited. The feed must not contain any GMOs. It is prohibited to use milk from livestock farms without grazing land.

Holdings rearing the livestock whose milk is used to produce ‘Robiola di Roccaverano’ must be located within the defined geographical area.

The milk must be produced and processed within the defined geographical area.

The cheeses must be packed in the production area, since the cheese's lack of a rind and its fresh and soft body expose it to the risk of dehydration, oxidation and deterioration of the fat content. In addition, because of its lack of a rind at the time of production, the cheese cannot be indelibly marked.

On release for consumption, the packaging is sealed with an adhesive label bearing the PDO logo in the form of a stylised ‘R’. The brown, stylised uppercase ‘R’ contains the image of a tower with battlements, inspired by the historic tower in the Municipality of Roccaverano; the counter within the letter ‘R’ represents a ‘Robiola di Roccaverano’ cheese and the stem is decorated with a green and pale yellow/green design intended to represent the meadows and the typical, sinuous shape of the hills of the Langhe. This is enclosed within a dark green ring bearing the words ‘ROBIOLA DI ROCCAVERANO’ in white, uppercase lettering with a small, white stylised flower at bottom centre. The whole logo is printed on a white background. Underneath the logo is the code number identifying the production holding and the label's serial number, on an ochre background for ‘Robiola di Roccaverano’ produced exclusively from goats' milk and on a white background for that produced from a blend of milks. The percentages of the different types of milk used must be marked on the label. All cheeses must be marketed whole, packed and bearing a seal.

The soil is clay with marl subsoil. In certain areas, compaction has produced colluvial soils in the form of a very deep clayey stratum with high water retention capacity, offering a very high level of fertility. The area has a typical continental climate characterised by extreme cold, significant snowfall and frequent cycles of freezing and thawing in winter and a rapid transition to high summer temperatures towards the end of June. There is little variation in the pattern of precipitation and the annual average rainfall is 300 mm, with very low points in the spring-summer period, liable to cause serious droughts. These soil and climate conditions favour the growth of typical forage plants on grassland and meadow-pasture. The meadows feature a wide range of plants, mainly grasses (around 75 %) and legumes (around 25 %), together with a many aromatic and medicinal plants. The main grasses are: ryegrass (Lolium spp.), cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata), fescue (Festuca spp.), meadow grass (Poa spp.) vernal grass, etc. The main legumes are: mountain clover (Trifolium montanum), bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), milfoil (Achillea spp.), etc. Among the aromatic and scented grasses, in addition to vernal grass, are umbrelliferae, such as wild carrot (Daucus carota carota), creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense), sage (Salvia officinalis), great lavender (Lavandula latifolia), many varieties of thyme (Thymus spp.), common rue (Ruta graveolens), rose hip (Rosa canina canina), etc. This mix of fodder plants, with its natural balance of carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins, provides high-quality feed for sheep, goats and cattle. The sheep and goats also graze on woodland, which as well as protecting the soil, also protects the animals from the excessive heat of summer.

‘Robiola di Roccaverano’ is a small, soft, rindless cheese. It is distinguished by its white paste, without holes. Its texture ranges from soft and creamy to compact and solid and it melts in the mouth, leaving a pleasant flavour and an aftertaste that ranges from green grass/medicinal plants to a more defined and pungent taste, reminiscent of toasted hazelnuts and the whiff of goat.

The particular flavour and aroma of ‘Robiola di Roccaverano’ are the result of the high-quality raw milk from which it is produced. The quality of the milk can be attributed to the high quality of the cows', goats' and ewes' feed.

The particular properties of the flora with their different scents and aromas are also found in the milk, which means that the fragrance of ‘Robiola di Roccaverano’ cheese is unlike that of any other cheese.

A manuscript written by the priest Pistone dating from 1899 recounts the history of the Parish of Roccaverano and the surrounding hamlets from 960 to 1860. Among the historic information of political relevance are economic data that highlight the importance of Robiola, such as the fact that the Municipality of Roccaverano hosted five annual fairs. On these occasions, ‘excellent Robiole cheeses’ were sold for export. The manuscript refers specifically to export as by that time Robiola was well known not only in Italy but also in France. Clearly, Robiola was regarded as more than just an ordinary cheese and had already been given a specific designation, having characteristics that were different from other cheeses. Artisanal Robiola can also be kept for up to six months in oil in glass jars or stored in straw.