Zamorano/Gouda, Spanish and Dutch Cheese

It's been said that "Cheese is milk's leap toward immortality." Zamorano is a hard sheep's milk cheese, noticeably nuttier and richer than its Spanish cousin, Manchego. The nomadic shepherding families of Castille-Léon have been hand-crafting Zamorano for centuries. Zamorano has a sharp, moderately gamey, sheep's milk flavored bite and texture that melts in the mouth. Pair this cheese with a premium coffee or a nice Spanish white wine like the 2007 Martin Codax Albarino (below left). It remains to be seen if Marieke Gouda (above and to the left) will still be made centuries from now, but if taste is any indication, it should be. This artisanal Gouda has notes of warm butter and caramel, with the occasional crunch from the protein crystals in its firm, pale straw interior. Delicious all by itself, or try it with an amber ale or the 2004 Margaret River Shiraz (above right).