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: £3.30 through £19.80
Dolcelatte first appeared in the early 1900s in Lombardy, up in northern Italy, the same region that gives us Gorgonzola. It’s often called Gorgonzola’s gentler cousin, and you can see why. The cheesemakers sought to produce a blue-veined cheese that retained the creamy richness of traditional Gorgonzola Dolce but with a softer, sweeter flavour that would appeal to international consumers, particularly in the United Kingdom.
Dolcelatte is made from cow’s milk, just like many other blue cheeses, and those lovely blue-green veins come from Penicillium cultures. The trick is in the process, it’s tweaked to keep the flavour gentle. Dolcelatte is usually aged for just two or three months, so it stays soft and creamy, without picking up the strong, spicy notes you get in older blue cheeses.
Dolcelatte might not have the centuries-old story of some Italian cheeses, but it’s won plenty of fans among cheese lovers. Some producers even make it following the Gorgonzola DOP rules, but Dolcelatte is all about that sweet, creamy character. If you fancy trying something a bit different, it’s well worth a go.
Dolcelatte starts with pasteurised cow’s milk. Once the curds are ready, they’re cut and popped into moulds. As the cheese matures, it’s gently pierced with thin needles to let in a bit of air and encourage those blue veins to appear. The end result is a marbled cheese, with colours running from pale green to blue all the way through.
The rind is usually thin and soft, sometimes with a hint of orange or pink. Inside, the cheese is ivory or pale straw, and it’s so soft and spreadable it might just slump a little if you leave it out. Unlike the firm, crumbly blues, Dolcelatte is all about comfort.
Dolcelatte is mild, creamy, and just a little bit sweet. If you give it a sniff, you might pick up fresh cream, a bit of butter, and just a whisper of blue cheese minerality. It doesn’t have the big, bold aroma of Roquefort PDO or Blue Stilton PDO, so if you’re not sure about blue cheese, this one’s a gentle way in.
Take a bite and you’ll notice how smooth and buttery Dolcelatte is, it really coats your tongue. The blue veins bring a gentle tang and a little spice, but nothing too bossy. There’s a lovely balance of sweet and savoury, with hints of milk, a bit of light mushroom, and just a touch of nuttiness.
The texture is one of Dolcelatte’s best bits. When it’s ripe, it’s so soft you could almost eat it with a spoon, perfect for spreading or stirring into your favourite dishes. The finish is clean and just a little tangy, with a creamy aftertaste that hangs around in the nicest way.
Jen’s note: Dolcelatte was actually created for export, especially for the British, who liked blue cheese but sometimes found traditional Gorgonzola a bit too strong. In that way, Dolcelatte was ahead of its time; made to suit global tastes as well as local ones, and it helped Italian cheesemakers find new fans all over the world.
Sizes and Prices
Storage Advice
Delivery and Collection
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, salt, starter cultures, rennet, Penicillium Roqueforti
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.
