Quick, name three Spanish cheeses…

Manchego, right? Maybe you came up with Cabrales, too – Spain’s most popular blue cheese… What else? Drawing a blank?

Frankly, so did we. So we set out to educate ourselves – and you, in the process – by exploring the wide world of Spanish cheeses.

It should come as no huge surprise that there are, in fact, lots of them. Like any self-respecting European country, Spain has been producing cheese from its herds of cows, goats and sheep for centuries. For some reason, though, these cheeses are not nearly as well known as their cousins from places like Italy and France.

For this article, we tasted some twenty-two Spanish cheeses. Some fresh, some aged, some cow, some goat, some blends, some good, some not so much. Here’s the skinny:

SHEEP’S MILK CHEESES
Artisan Raw-Milk Manchego
Okay, let’s start with ubiquitous Manchego. It’s a sheep’s milk cheese, but from there, styles vary greatly. Young or aged, though, we think Manchego is one of the world’s great cheeses for wine. It seems to work with practically anything, from grassy Sauvignon Blanc to the most robust red. And everyone seems to like its compulsively nibbly texture and not-too-strong, not-too-mild flavors. The one we tasted was made from a small, artisan producer who uses raw sheep’s milk taken from a flock of La Mancha (the area around Madrid) sheep that graze on one small hillside farm established in 1940. It was delish – on its own, with a bit of Membrillo (Spain’s famed quince paste), paired with olives, etc. Hard to go wrong!

El Piconero al Cognac
A relatively new Spanish cheese, the first batches were made in 2001, this is from the Picon region of Spain outside Madrid. Raw sheep’s milk is carefully aged for at least 10 months, then aged another two months in Cognac. We liked the aromatics here – rosemary, lavender, anise and almond all came to mind. And a very specific and predominant lemon curd flavor was unexpected but appealing. Better with white wines, we thought, from refreshing summer quaffs to fuller-bodied Chardonnay.

Idiazabal
In the old days, Basque shepherds lived in small mountain huts and had no space to store and age their cheeses other than inside their stone chimneys. As it turned out, people enjoyed the smoky flavor that the cheese acquired from aging inside the chimneys, and the tradition of smoky Idiazabal was born. These days, the cheese is still naturally smoked, though not in shepherds’ chimneys! We liked that it isn’t overly smoky, as some cheeses can be. This is a good nibbling cheese, much like a young, smoked Gouda.

Roncal
Spain’s first name-controlled cheese, Roncal comes from the Navarra region of the Spanish Pyrenees and dates back to the 13th century. Made from raw sheep’s milk and ripened slowly over several months. We were nuts for the nutty flavors and slightly crumbly texture. Don’t know where we’ve been on this, but we’re Roncal fans now!

Zamorano
Zamorano comes from the Castile-Leon region, close to the Spain/Portugal border. It’s a traditional farmhouse cheese made from Churra sheep’s milk – the highest grade milk of any sheep, or so they say. The cheese is quite similar to Manchego, but smoother, less crumbly, with a sweet, grassy note that makes it seem mountain-air fresh. Fantastic with thin slices of Spanish or Italian ham, a scattering of plump green olives, and a glass of medium-bodied red wine.

MIXED MILK CHEESES
Tronchon
In this tasting, there were several big mounds of white, smooth cheeses that were all variations on a theme. Creamy, fresh, buttery, slightly nutty, on the mild side. We liked them all, and this was one of them. Completely versatile, we liked it best when offset with something sharply flavored, like briny green olives or spicy salami. Also makes a heck of a sandwich cheese – try layering it with summer tomatoes and spinach or arugula leaves on walnut bread.

Valdeon
Tamer than Cabrales, Valdeon is a rich, creamy cow/goat milk blue that we just loved. Good for nibbling with crackers, but also creamy enough to be blended into sauces, pastas, and more. Valdeon is traditionally wrapped in chestnut or sycamore leaves, which give it a distinct appearance and adds to its complex flavors. Delicious with fruity red wines.

Gamonedo
This one is made from a blend of raw full cow’s, goat’s and sheep’s milk. It is lightly smoked and then cave aged for at least three months. The rind is a natural gray mold. We thought the one we tasted was a little bitter and just couldn’t quite get excited about it.

Iberico
Another Manchego-like cheese, this one is also a great nibbly, hard cheese and pairs easily with a slurpable red wine, some Spanish ham or chorizo and a handful of olives. Easy to like!

El Ventero
In central Spain, small, historic towns have age-old traditions of raising sheep and goats in mixed herds. This tradition led to the creation of El Ventero, which is made from goat’s milk blended with milk taken from sheep and cows. Like Tronchon (above), this was another springy, creamy white cheese. With its fresh taste and silky texture, it’s an appealing cheese to practically everyone and is easy to pair with anything from antipasti to fruit.

COW’S MILK CHEESES
Cabrales
Sharp, tangy, Cabrales is surely Spain’s most famous blue cheese. Usually made from pure cow’s milk, this cheese can also be blended with some goat and/or sheep’s milk, depending on availability. In other words, lots of people make Cabrales – and styles vary. For the creamiest version, go for pure cow’s milk and a reputable producer. When faced with two kinds of Cabrales at the market, the higher priced one may well reflect better quality! A classic cheese – delicious any place you’d use blue cheese: sliced alongside beefsteak tomatoes, crumbled into salads or over steaks, or simply served on a cheese board.

Mahon
From the Mediterranean island of Menorca, Mahon is Spain’s second most popular cheese next to Manchego. Quite like a Port Salut, with bold aromas and relatively mild flavors. Its creamy texture and slightly spicy finish are hard to resist. Makes spectacularly good cheese toast, but is also good on its own, sprinkled with freshly chopped herbs and served alongside a green salad.

Tetilla
An all-around unforgettable cheese, from the name and shape (a woman’s breast) to the creamy, but complex flavors – this is one we’ll never forget! Mild, yes, but tangy, with earthy, grassy, and herb nuances that evolve through the finish. Tetilla is a D.O. cheese, meaning that its production is controlled by the Spanish Government, a status reserved for only select “Quesos Tradicionales.” Loved it!

Urgelia
Urgelia is a natural washed rind cheese from the pastures at the foothills of the Catalan Pyrenees mountains. The interior is creamy and flavorful and easy to love. The exterior is, on the other hand, unpleasantly gritty – like too much ash – and we all quickly abandoned it. Melts nicely, on bread or in sauces – would make a really interesting fondue! We thought it worked equally well with red and white wines.

San Simon
From Galicia, this cheese is aged 2-4 weeks, lightly pressed and then gently smoked for 2 weeks. The rind is a shiny reddish brown, and the interior is creamy, buttery, and subtly smoky. We loved it with a bottle of crisp, cold Albarino and a bowl of Marcona almonds. It is also a great pairing for fresh fruit – peaches, nectarines and summer berries. Heaven!

GOAT’S MILK CHEESES
San Mateu
Its rather chalky texture makes this cheese unusual and not for everyone. It’s a washed rind, fresh cheese made from pasteurized goat’s milk in the Catalan region of Spain. We kept trying to figure out what it reminded us of, and kept coming back to some kind of goat’s milk/buttermilk/chocolate cheesecake something. It frankly got a mixed reaction from our tasters… The people who liked it also tend to like unusual, stinky, strong cheeses. So if that fits your profile – give it a try!

Murcia
Extra creamy and smooth, with subtle pepper, grass and herb flavors that evolve through the finish. Made from pasteurized goat’s millk in central Spain. Delicious goat cheese here – one of the favorites of the tasting.

Ibores
Really interesting stuff, with its dry, crumbly texture and nutty, earthy nuances. Rustic, aged and rubbed with a mixture of olive oil and sweet paprika, it’s from the Extremadura, which is the most rugged, least developed, and most economically distressed region in Spain. Hard enough to grate over salads and pastas. Makes a nice counterbalance to fresh fruits.

Garrotxa
One of our new Spanish cheese favorites, this compelling creamy goat’s milk cheese reminded us of a mild white Cheddar, somehow. On the mild side, with subtle hazelnut complexity, a creamy white interior and a natural mold rind. Really good all on its own, and fantastic as a dessert cheese course when served alongside Spanish almonds and dried apricots and figs.

Mont Enebro
This elegant goat’s milk log was created by Rafael Baez at the age of 64, in Avila, one of the nine provinces of Castile and Leon (southwest of Madrid). It combines the best of high end goat cheeses like Montrachet with the tang of a mild blue cheese – it is soft-ripened, cave cured, and treated to a penicillin mold on the exterior. Loved it! A tasting favorite.

La Yerbera
The description on the package reads: “creamy on the pallet, imparting the subtle flavor of almonds throughout the cheese.” We thought it tasted exactly like shampoo. Honestly.

Majorero
We really liked this cheese! The Majorero we tried was cured (it can also be sold fresh), which seemed to give it a slightly smoky, peppery, piquant character. In fact it was remarkably like pepper jack! This is one of those cheeses that keeps calling you back for more. It’s great out of hand, but also would work beautifully on sandwiches – would make a delicious grilled cheese, with or without the addition of Spanish ham.

Need more scoop? Check out www.cheesefromspain.com!