Taleggio DOP

The cheese

Taleggio has been made in the valleys of Lombardy for centuries. Ours comes from the Mauri family, who have made cheese near the village of Pasturo for four generations. Their wheels mature in natural caves beneath the Grigna mountain. Each square is washed and brushed several times over a month, building a thin orange rind flecked with grey yeasts. The caves' cool, damp air is what gives this Taleggio its depth.

Tasting notes

Beneath the rind, the paste turns from ivory and springy to soft and buttery as it ripens. The aroma is yeasty and earthy, but the flavour is gentler than the smell suggests: mildly tangy, with a long, savoury, almost meaty finish. The rind is edible, though some prefer to trim it.

How to enjoy

Taleggio is one of the great melting cheeses. Stir it through risotto or polenta, or bake it on pizza with mushrooms. On a board, serve it with sliced pear, honey and pear mostarda. Pair it with a Barbera or a Nebbiolo. Serve it at room temperature, when the paste is soft and almost spoonable at the edges. It is a crowd-pleaser on a cheese board and a good bridge for guests new to washed-rind cheeses.