This flavorful cheddar is made from unpasteurized milk from Holstein cows in the English countryside using traditional methods.  It is aged on wooden boards for at least two years while being turned periodically.  It sells for $28.50 per pound.  This cheese is quite complex in flavor and can stand up very well to a large Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.

This is a Colston Basset Dairy pasteurized cow’s milk blue cheese. The Colston Basset Dairy, located in Nottinghamshire, England, was built specifically to make Stilton cheese. This cheese has been injected with penicillium roquefortii and ages for three to four months before it is ready to eat. The affineur (cheese ager) is Neal’s Yard.  This particular Stilton has a nice balance between the richness of the cream and the tanginess of the blue.  It sells for about $30 per pound.  Try it with a luscious dessert wine (such as a late harvest Semillon) or with honey comb.

I was recently looking for a BIG cheddar to go with a BIG wine, and I discovered this treat from England.  It is a raw cow’s milk cheddar from Montgomery’s Farm in south Somerset.  It is made in the traditional style and is aged for over a year wrapped in muslin cloth and stored on wooden shelves.  It sells for $27/pound.

Try it with a big, tannic wine such as the amazing 2004 Venge Oakville Merlot, available at Bacchus and Venus in Sausalito.