18/02/2025
Manchego 12 Month Matured
Pronounced: - Man-chey-go
Archaeologists have found evidence that dates cheesemaking in the La Mancha region to as far back as the Bronze Age (3700 BC). There is no exact evidence if this cheesemaking was Manchego, but throughout written accounts in history from the region, it was always a Manchego-style cheese described and the Manchega breed of sheep. The Manchega breed of sheep has truly stood the test of time, most probably due to its hardiness that seems to pair well with the region's dry and rocky terrain. The sheep graze mainly dry pastureland and shrubland but seem to fare very well on this sort of terrain; it certainly does not affect their milk quality, which offers a very high-fat content and is a rich milk perfect for the production of Manchego. Due to the breeding of Manchega sheep staying predominantly among the breed itself, the bloodline is remarkably pure; this means that the Manchega sheep giving us their beautiful milk today are direct descendants of these historic sheep that were grazing the region in the bronze age.
Manchego is produced in three different varieties:
• Manchego Fresco is only matured for two weeks and is rarely found outside of Spain. Due to its freshness, it is mild in flavour.
• Manchego Curado is aged between three and six months. It is a semi-firm cheese with nutty, sweet flavours.
• Manchego Semi-Curado aged between three weeks and three months: This offers very mild flavours and is semi-soft.
• Manchego Viejo, aged between twelve and twenty-four months, is a hard cheese with a deep, rich flavour.
It is the Manchego Viejo that we stock, this particular one aged to twelve months.
The distinctive pattern on the rind was originally produced by the curd being pressed into esparto grass baskets, which left their imprint on the curd. Today, the pattern comes from moulds designed to replicate the pattern on the surface. The actual rind is inedible as it is sprayed with a breathable plastic or wax coating to protect the cheese once it has matured for preserving it and transportation.
Manchego has been protected under PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status since 1984. For any cheese wishing to be classified as Manchego PDO, it must be made to specific standards set by the PDO legislation; this protects the cheese and the food from geographical regions from replication. This particular PDO states that the cheese must be made in the La Mancha region, it must be made from unpasteurised Manchega milk, it must be aged in natural caves for a minimum of two months or a maximum of two years, and it must be made to a specific size of no more than 12cm in height and no more than 22cm in diameter. There are 340 Manchego producers currently registered under the PDO status.
Manchego exportation is a huge industry for the region exporting nearly 6 million KG of it each year. The area of La Mancha is also famous for the 17th-century novelist Miguel de Cervantes and his two-part novel ‘The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha’. This fabulous author drops the odd line about the sheep in the region and mentions Manchego, too; it brought much fame to the area and is the second most translated book in the world after the Bible. Don Quixote is also relevant to Manchego as its PDO certification has the image of Don Quixote riding his horse on it.
This cheese offers buttery, sweet, and nutty flavours alongside a hard yet granulated texture. Its aroma is beautifully rich and buttery, offering a well-rounded experience.
