Kefalograviera

Kefalograviera is a hard table cheese produced traditionally from sheep's milk or from a mixture of sheep's milk and goat's milk, within a defined area of Western Macedonia, Epirus, and the prefectures of Etoloakarnania and Evrytania. Registered as a PDO on 21 June 1996 under file number PDO-GR-0444, it is subject to a minimum ripening period of not less than 3 months.

About this designation

Kefalograviera (Κεφαλογραβιέρα) is registered in the EU quality register under eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013251, file number PDO-GR-0444, with the date of EU protection recorded as 21 June 1996. The specification defines it as a hard table cheese produced traditionally from sheep's milk or from a mixture of sheep's milk and goat's milk. The delimited geographical area comprises Western Macedonia, Epirus, and the prefectures of Etoloakarnania and Evrytania. The milk used must come from breeds of sheep and goats reared traditionally within those defined areas, whose diet is based on the local flora. Production requires coagulation of the milk, followed by breaking of the curd, reheating, transfer to moulds, and pressing. The cheese is then held in a temperature-controlled room, placed in brine, and subjected to repeated dry salting of the surface during the first stage of ripening. A second ripening stage follows at a lower temperature. Total ripening takes not less than 3 months. Labelling must carry the designation Kefalograviera Cheese PDO, together with the inspection mark ΚΓ (KG), the packaging serial number, and the date of production. Inspection is carried out by the directorates of agriculture competent for the defined geographical areas.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 21 June 1996 under file number PDO-GR-0444 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013251).
• The specification permits production from sheep's milk only, or from a mixture of sheep's milk and goat's milk; no other milk is permitted.
• Ripening takes not less than 3 months, conducted in two distinct temperature-controlled stages.
• Authentic product must carry the inspection mark ΚΓ (KG), the packaging serial number, and the date of production on its label.

Tasting notes

Greek hard sheep-and-goat-milk cheese POP, aged 3+ months. Combines characteristics of Kefalotyri (very salty, hard) and Graviera (sweet-nutty). Pale ivory paste, firm dense texture, intensely savory salty-tangy-nutty flavor.

HoReCa use

Saganaki premium choice; used grated for pasta dishes, in mezze boards, and in baked pasta dishes such as pasticio.

Packaging

• wheel-full-7-15kg
• wedge-vacuum-300g
• grated-pre-pack-100g