Our Christmas orders are now closed. You can still buy our Cheese Subscriptions to start in January, as well as book our courses and tasting events. If you want to purchase vouchers you can do so until the 20th December but please note that it can take up to 48 hours for the vouchers to be emailed to you as we process these manually.
We have a full counter of cheese in our shop in Pangbourne so you can still come in and purchase items in store
Price range: £3.60 through £18.00
Golden Saye really shows off what Village Maid Dairy does best: making cheeses full of character and flavour. The smooth, creamy texture and the mix of nutty, buttery, and tangy notes mean there’s something for everyone, whether you’re a cheese fanatic or just looking for something new to try. Every bite feels like a little discovery.
Golden Saye Cheese is one of those cheeses that immediately catches your eye and your taste buds. It’s made by Village Maid Dairy, a small team in the Berkshire countryside who have been making brilliant cheeses since 1986. Anne and Andy Wigmore started the dairy and have always focused on using local milk and traditional methods. Their cheeses always seem to have a real sense of place and character; you can almost taste the Berkshire fields in every bite.
The name encapsulates the striking golden appearance of the cheese and incorporates the origins of Village Maid. “Saye” relating to “Stratfield Saye” where the Duke of Wellington’s Guernsey herd grazed in the late 1980’s. It was here that Anne Wigmore first explored Guernsey milk cheesemaking, paving the way for our range of Guernsey milk cheeses that have come since.
Village Maid Dairy gives each cheese a story. Golden Saye, one of their newer creations, is made from cow’s milk and aged to perfection. They embrace traditional methods while trying new ideas, which keeps their cheeses popular.
The cheesemaking starts just as it always has, with fresh milk from local farms. For the pasteurised version, the milk gets gently heated first, then it’s mixed with a special blend of cultures and moulds to kick off the magic of fermentation and ripening.
Once the curd is ready, it’s cut into cubes and carefully hand-ladled into big moulds. Even though the milk is pasteurised, the rest of the process remains closely traditional.
After draining, the cheese is salted and left to age for about 4 to 8 weeks in the cool cellars at the fromagerie. This is when the famous white rind appears, thanks to the Penicillium candidum mould. Inside, the cheese starts off firm in the middle and gets softer and creamier towards the edge as it ripens.
Golden Saye is a firm cow’s milk cheese with a lovely, rich flavour. Its smooth, buttery texture melts in your mouth. After a few months of ageing, it develops a gentle sweetness with just a hint of tang. It’s a real treat.
Sniff Golden Saye, and you’ll notice toasted nuts, caramel, and a savoury note. The first bite is smooth and buttery, with toasted almond and a grassy hint of the countryside.
The flavour is clean and mellow, with lingering earthiness. It balances sweet, nutty notes and a touch of acidity, making it great for a snack or a cheeseboard.
Jen’s note: I love that this cheese uses the same recipe as Spenwood but the Guernsey milk gives it a totally different flavour profile!
Sizes and Prices
Storage Advice
Delivery and Collection
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, salt, starters, rennet
Normal opening Monday – Saturday 9am – 4pm until:
Sunday 22nd 9am – 4pm
Monday 23rd 9am – 4pm
Christmas Eve 9am – 12pm
Christmas Day Closed
Boxing Day Closed
Friday 27th Closed
Saturday 28th 9am – 4pm
Sunday 29th Closed
Monday 30th 9am – 2pm
Tuesday 31st 9am – 2pm
New Year’s Day Closed
Thursday 2nd January Closed
Friday 3rd 9am – 4pm then open as normal
After Christmas our courier delivery slots start from 8th January.
