Description
Montagnolo Cheese
About Montagnolo Affiné
Montagnolo Affiné is what happens when you bring together two very good things: blue cheese and an awful lot of cream.
Made in Bavaria by Käserei Champignon, Montagnolo is a wonderfully rich, soft blue cheese with a creamy ivory paste, delicate blue veining and an almost melting texture when perfectly ripe. Extra cream is added to the cow’s milk during the make, giving it that luxurious triple-cream-style richness.
It’s very different from a crumbly Stilton or salty Roquefort. Here the blue is much gentler, working its way through all that sweet, buttery creaminess rather than dominating it.
If you like your blue cheese soft, rich and gloriously indulgent, Montagnolo is definitely worth making room for.
A Modern Bavarian Blue
Montagnolo Affiné is made by Käserei Champignon, a Bavarian cheesemaker whose history stretches back to the beginning of the 20th century.
The cheese itself is a much more modern creation, developed as part of a new generation of softer, creamier European blues. And Bavaria is a pretty appropriate home for it, with the region’s long tradition of dairy farming and soft cheesemaking.
The name gives a little nod to the mountains, while Affiné refers to maturation — the period when a cheesemaker or affineur carefully looks after a cheese as it develops.
It may not have hundreds of years of history behind it, but Montagnolo has certainly made an impression since it arrived.
Blue Cheese Meets Extra Cream
Montagnolo begins with cow’s milk enriched with extra cream, which immediately sets the direction for the finished cheese.
Blue mould cultures are added during cheesemaking and the wheels are pierced during maturation, allowing oxygen inside so those characteristic blue veins can develop.
But the blue is only half the story. The high cream content gives Montagnolo its wonderfully smooth texture and sweet, buttery character, creating a lovely contrast with the saltiness and gentle spice from the blue.
As it ripens, the cheese becomes particularly soft around the edges. Give it enough time out of the fridge and the paste nearest the rind can become almost spoonable — which, as far as I’m concerned, is exactly what you want.
Montagnolo – Jen’s Tasting Notes
The first thing you notice with Montagnolo is just how creamy it is. This really is a melt-in-the-mouth cheese, with a wonderfully rich texture that becomes softer and softer as it warms up.
The flavour starts with sweet cream and butter before the blue begins to creep in, bringing gentle saltiness, a little tang and just enough peppery spice to balance all that richness.
There are earthy, mushroomy notes too, particularly as you get closer to the rind, but nothing is particularly aggressive. This is definitely a blue where creaminess comes first.
And that’s really Montagnolo’s charm. It’s indulgent without being difficult, blue without being overpowering and dangerously easy to keep going back to.
How to Serve and Pair Montagnolo
- Make sure you take it out of the fridge a good hour before you want to eat it so it can come up to room temperature.
- Classic pairings: Keep things German with an off-dry Riesling. The acidity cuts through the richness while that little touch of sweetness works beautifully with the salty blue.
- Something a little different: A German wheat beer is another great match. Its freshness and gentle fruitiness work really well against the rich, creamy cheese.
- On the plate: Apricot jam. Trust me on this one! The sweet, slightly tangy fruit is brilliant with Montagnolo. Add a few toasted almonds if you want some crunch.
- In the kitchen: Melt it over a steak or tuck some inside a chicken breast. Although, to be honest, when Montagnolo is perfectly ripe I’d rather have some warm bread and eat it exactly as it is.
Jen’s note: In 2013, Montagnolo Affiné became the first German cheese to be named Supreme Champion at the World Cheese Awards. Even more amazingly, two separate entries of Montagnolo took first and second place. Imagine entering the best cheese in the world… and then discovering you’d also entered the second best!
Buying Montagnolo
- Brand or Producer: Käserei Champignon
- Product name: Montagnolo Affiné
- Milk: Cow
- Country: Germany
- Region: Allgäu
- Strength: Mild
- Vegetarian: Yes
- Suitable for pregnancy: No
- Allergens: MILK
Sizes and Prices
- 100g wedge, £2.75
- 500g wedge, £13.75
- Whole wheel (approx. 2.2kg), available to pre-order
Storage Advice
- Keep refrigerated
- Wrap in waxed paper or cling film
- Remove from the fridge before serving
- Consume within 10 to 14 days of opening
Delivery and Collection
- UK wide courier delivery
- Click and collect from our Pangbourne shop
- Free local delivery available for selected postcodes
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, cream (MILK), starter cultures, rennet, salt, mould cultures
