Welcome to the next of our Focus on Cheese articles on the Belton Farm Award-winning Cheese Range. This month we are going to looking at our traditional Wensleydale.

Made for nearly 400 years by Cistercian monks, before passing the baton to farmers throughout North Yorkshire. Originally, Wensleydale was made entirely with sheep’s milk – a tradition which is still honoured today, albeit in smaller quantities.

Wensleydale is crumbly and delicate with mellow notes of honey, white in colour and moist with a flaky texture. It is quite similar to a young Caerphilly. The flavour is mild, clean, and slightly sweet with hints of wild honey savour and fresh acidity. As it ages, the cheese develops a fuller, deeper flavour as well becomes firmer.

The delicate flavour of Wensleydale, with mellow notes of honey, make it a natural partner for fruit. You will see plenty of Wensleydale varieties that contain fruit in them from the offset – cranberries, for instance. Apple pie and fruit cake are frequently served with Wensleydale.

With respect to perfect pairings for Wensleydale, we recommend pairing Wensleydale with a Sauvignon Blanc. As for red wine, we recommend a Merlot and when it comes to beers and ales, we would highly recommend a full flavoured premium bitter with a rich fruity aroma.

– Sauvignon Blanc

– Merlot

– Full flavoured premium bitter with a rich, fruity aroma