El Trigal Manchego really does get better with age
Published 4:00 am, Sunday, November 7, 2010
Most cheeses aren't labeled with their date of production, so a consumer can't know how old they really are. And for many cheeses, why would you care? What matters is how it tastes - whether it's underripe or over the hill, too moist or too dry.
Every cheese, like every wine, has a limited lifespan, but too many variables affect the development to think that age can tell you much. How was it shipped? How has it been stored?
Yet cheeses do change as they age, and the larger they are, the slower change happens. Wheels lose moisture steadily, unless they are enclosed in a plastic bag, as some block cheddars are.
They may became harder with time, or softer, depending on any surface molds and bacteria. The internal color often darkens. And although diminishing returns set in at some point, most cheeses become more fragrant and complex with time, the result of enzymes generating aromatic compounds.
Just for fun, I recently picked up wedges of 6-month-old and 12-month-old El Trigal Manchego at Whole Foods. It's not often that a cheese counter provides the opportunity to taste the same cheese at two dramatically different maturities, so I was curious about the changes the extra aging might have induced.
Spain's most famous cheese, Manchego is governed by a PDO (protected designation of origin), so the recipe is regulated. It can be made with raw or pasteurized milk, but only from Manchega sheep, and the minimum aging is 60 days. El Trigal makes cheese from both raw and pasteurized milk, but Whole Foods sells only the latter.
I put my wedges side by side on a tray and immediately noticed a difference. The younger cheese had an ivory interior; the older cheese was pale gold.
Aromatically, I could distinguish them easily, too. The 6-month-old wedge had a fresh butter aroma. The more mature cheese smelled toastier, nuttier, like warm butter that is starting to brown.
The older cheese also had a more pleasing texture, although this difference was subtle. It seemed a little more sandy or granular to me, whereas the younger cheese was slightly more rubbery.
Both specimens delivered the sweetness and mellow nature I expect in mature Manchego, but the older cheese was noticeably tastier, with a fuller flavor and longer finish.
Surprisingly, the per-pound prices were only $1 apart ($15.99 for the younger wheel, $16.99 for the older).
"That's the best dollar you'll ever spend," pronounced my husband, who was tasting alongside me. The younger Manchego was pleasant enough, but it was the older one we both kept eating.
Look for El Trigal Manchego at Bay Area Whole Foods stores. All stores have the 12-month-old cheese and many, including the Noe Valley and Potrero Hill stores in San Francisco, carry the 6-month-old wheel as well.
This type of cheese needs a red wine with some concentration. I enjoyed my side-by-side tasting with the 2005 Bodegas Valdemar Inspiración, a richly colored and herbaceous Rioja.
Next up: Ladysmith, a fresh cow's-milk cheese from Washington state.