I recently enjoyed a taste of Clothbound Farmhouse Cheddar from Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, Vermont. This cheddar is made in the traditional method from raw milk of the purebred Brown Swiss cows raised on the Shelburne Farm (giving it “farmhouse” distinction). The Clothbound Farmhouse Cheddar has been hand-wrapped and aged for more than a year in cheesecloth. It has a sharp flavor and a lovely pale gold color. It sells for about $24 per pound. This cheese can be ordered directly from the Shelburne Farms General Store at shelburnefarms.org/ or from igourmet.com/.

Sumi is a goat’s milk cheese from Goat’s Leap Dairy in St. Helena.  It is shaped like a truncated pyramid and coated with ash.  Inside it is firm and tangy with a long rich finish.  It is aged for only two to six weeks.   It is named for one of the goat’s on the farm.  It sells for about $29 per pound. 

This is a fantastic soft-ripened cow’s milk cheese from Mt. Townsend Creamery in Port Townsend, Washington.  The milk is from a single herd of crossbred Holsteins.  It has been aged for 28 days.  The rind has been ashed.  It was one of our favorites from our recent cheese club shipment from Raymond & Company.

This is a very flavorful cheese made from raw cow’s milk by Estrella Family Farm in Montesano, Washington.  The rind has been washed in apple brandy, and the cheese has been aged for 90 days.  It has a full, rich taste.  I found this cheese at Raymond & Company in Glen Ellen, California.

This is a naturally rinded blue cheese made from whole raw milk, primarily morning milk which is lower in fat.  It is produced in Vermond by Jasper Hill Farm.  It is aged for 4-6 months.  It has a crumbly texture and rich flavor.  It sells for $24.50 per pound.  It pairs well with a Late Harvest Semillon, a Muscat or a Sauterne.

This is a pasteurized goat’s milk cheese from Tumalo Farms in Oregon.  The farm is in the Cascades near Bend.  It is a semi-firm cheese that is aged for 2-12 weeks.  It is mild in flavor and pairs well with a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.  It sells for $28 per pound.

Dafne is a relatively new goat’s milk cheese made by Barbara bacchus at Goat’s Leap Dairy in St. Helena, California.  Dafne is made using pasteurized milk from the goats on the Goat’s Leap farm.  It has a moldy white rind and a ripe, distinctive flavor.  The cheese is topped with a bay leaf (dafne).  This cheese sells for $30 per pound.  Suggested pairings are Sancerre and Sauvignon Blanc.

This is a soft-ripened goat’s milk triple cream cheese.  It has been enriched by adding cow’s milk creme fraiche to the curd during the cheese making process.  It is made by cheese maker Soyoung Scanlan of Andante Dairy in Petaluma, California.  It is sold in half-pound rounds for $20 each.  It is an exceptional cheese.  Suggested pairings are Champagne, Chenin Blanc, Sancerre, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Our friends from Portland turned us on to this delicious cheese.  Rogue Creamery in Oregon has been making its famous raw milk blue cheese for almost fifty years. The cheese is aged in caves for at least 90 days.   However, this version has been smoked for 16 hours over hazelnut shells.  We really enjoy the smoky flavor mixed with the tanginess of the blue cheese.  Try it paired with Silverado Vineyards’ Late Harvest Semillon or Thomas Fogarty’s Late Harvest Gewurtztraminer.

If you really love goat cheese and want to try something that is unique and delicious, choose Kiku from Goats Leap Cheeses (www.goatsleap.com) in St. Helena, California.  This round of fresh pasteurized goat’s milk cheese is wrapped in a fig leaf that has been soaked in Sauvignon Blanc. It is aged for about 3 weeks.  Eat the fig leaf along with the cheese.  This cheese is seasonal and thus a bit rare.  However, now is the season so find it if you can.   I buy Kiku at the St. Helena farmers market and at Dean & Deluca in Napa Valley.