Woodside Vigneron

Name: Woodside Vigneron 'the winemaker's cheese'
Made by: Kris Llyod - Woodside Cheese Wrights
Origin: McLaren Vale, South Australia
Cheese style: Wine washed soft cheese
Milk type: Pasteurised goat milk

Kris Lloyd is manager and head cheese maker at Woodside Cheese Wrights. She is supported by a passionate team of cheese makers, making cheeses to traditional methods resulting in plenty of flavour and individual character. Kris has also pioneered a range of seasonal cheeses, with innovative packaging and presentation, to take advantage of seasonal variations in milk supply.

This cheese comes about a little by accident, through a cheese maker versus winemaker challenge. “How about making us a special cheese” Grant Harrisson of McLaren Vale Vineyard challenged Kris Lloyd, and this is the result, a marriage of McLaren Vale Wine and (Woodside) cheese. They specially select vine leaves to wrap the young cheeses in and gently wash the cheese with a 2004 Wooded Chardonnay.

When ripe this cheese will ooze a velvety paste and give you an exceptionally pleasing mouthfeel, full of complexity and depth. The flavour is creamy with just a hint of citric tang. Eating the leaves is a matter of personal preference. I find that they tend to taint the flavour a little, giving it a slightly sour aftertaste.

WORD OF WARNING: This cheese will run away from you when really ripe, eat it quickly or you’ll be left with little more than a puddle where the cheese once stood.



mikeypmrcheese





information sources:

http://www.woodsidecheese.com.au/

 

Meredith Marinated Goat Cheese

Name: Meredith Marinated Goat Cheese
Made by: Meredith Dairy
Origin: Meredith Victoria
Cheese style: Fresh curd cheese, marinated
Milk type: Goat milk

Meredith dairy is located on a 1450 hectare farm at Meredith, about 100 km west of Melbourne. The owners, Sandy and Julie Cameron have extensively researched animal husbandry, cheese making techniques, and sustainable agriculture practises. Meredith Dairy milks all year round and is the largest on farm producer of sheep and goat milk in Australia. Meredith Dairy's specialty cheeses and yoghurt's are sold throughout Australia and exported around the world (information taken from Meredith Dairy Website).

Meredith Marinated Goat Cheese is a fresh artisan cheese, the curd is delicately handled giving the cheese a satiny-light texture on the palate. The flavour is mild, citric, creamy, and has a definite light herb and garlic quality from the infused oil marinade.

I really enjoy this product straight from the jar, oil dripping from the cracker as you eat it. It may slightly indulgent and even more to the point, unhealthy, but it tastes oh so good!

mikeypmrcheese

References:

http://www.meredithdairy.com/

Berrys Creek Tarwin Blue

Name: Berrys Creek Tarwin Blue
Made by: Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese
Origin: Gippsland Victoria
Cheese style: Natural rind blue mould cheese
Milk type: Full cream jersey cows milk

Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese is owned and operated by Barry Charlton and his partner Cheryl. Barry is a creative cheese maker with over 30 years’ experience. His passion to produce unique and distinctive cheeses for the discerning palate has been recognised with the highest awards at the World Cheese Championship in Wisconsin USA.

Both the jersey dairy and the cheese factory are nestled in the hills of Gippsland at Poowong North, where rich jersey milk from the dairy is used to handcraft the farmhouse cheeses. All cheeses are made without preservatives using pasteurised full cream jersey cows’ milk and non-animal rennet.

Tarwin Blue is a beautifully balanced blue cheese, its interior is straw coloured with streaks of greenish-blue mould throughout. It is moist and not overly crumbly.

Berrys Creek Tarwin Blue is a good blue to serve those discerning cheese lovers whom would normally steer clear of blue cheese on a platter. The flavour leans towards the mild side, delivering a creamy sweet flavour and slight lingering zippy tang from the blue mould.

mikeypmrcheese

References:

http://berryscreekcheese.com/