Description
Manchego PDO Cheese
About Manchego PDO
There are some cheeses that immediately make you think of where they come from, and Manchego is definitely one of them.
For me, it’s La Mancha on a plate: huge open plains, sheep, windmills and, inevitably, Don Quixote charging around on his horse.
Manchego has been made in this part of central Spain for centuries using the milk of Manchega sheep, a breed perfectly suited to the hot, dry landscape. It’s a firm cheese with a distinctive patterned rind and a wonderfully nutty, savoury flavour that becomes more complex as it matures.
It’s probably Spain’s most famous cheese — and for very good reason.
Protected by PDO Tradition
Manchego is protected by PDO status, so you can’t simply make a sheep’s milk cheese somewhere in Spain and call it Manchego.
It must be produced within the designated area of La Mancha, covering parts of Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca and Toledo, and it must be made exclusively from the milk of Manchega sheep.
The milk can be either raw or pasteurised, and the cheese is matured for different lengths of time depending on its size and the style being produced.
Then there’s that famous rind.
The zigzag pattern around the outside is a nod to the traditional pleita — woven esparto-grass moulds that were once used to shape the cheeses. Modern moulds recreate the pattern, so it’s become one of the easiest ways to recognise Manchego.
You’ll also find the characteristic flower or herringbone pattern on the flat ends.
It’s basically a cheese that arrives with its own fingerprints.
Manchego PDO – Jen’s Tasting Notes
Manchego has a firm, compact texture that’s slightly buttery when younger and becomes firmer and more crumbly as it matures.
The sheep’s milk gives it a lovely richness, but there’s a gentle acidity running through it that stops it becoming heavy.
Flavour-wise, I get toasted nuts, sweet hay and a little fruitiness, followed by a savoury tang that becomes more pronounced with age. More mature Manchego can develop deeper caramel and earthy notes and a wonderfully long finish.
There’s a lovely balance between sweetness, nuttiness and that characteristic sheep’s milk flavour.
And although that patterned rind looks rather impressive, it’s not one I eat.
How to Serve and Pair Manchego
- 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: Pedro Ximénez Sherry is gorgeous with Manchego. That intense raisiny sweetness against the salty, nutty cheese is a combination I could very happily linger over.
- Something a little different: If red wine is more your thing, go for a Rioja — preferably a Reserva. The fruit, oak and gentle spice are lovely with a more mature Manchego.
- On the plate: I’d go completely Spanish: Marcona almonds, membrillo and perhaps a few olives. Manchego and quince paste is a classic for a reason.
- In the kitchen: Although you can certainly cook with it, I think good Manchego deserves to be left alone. Slice it thinly, add some Serrano ham and a drizzle of really good olive oil, and call it dinner.
Jen’s note: Manchego even makes an appearance in Don Quixote, which seems entirely appropriate for a cheese from La Mancha. So whenever I see a wheel of Manchego, I can’t help thinking of windmills. Although I’d much rather sit underneath one with some cheese and a glass of Rioja than charge at it on horseback.
Buying Manchego PDO
- Brand or Producer: Quesos el Pastor-Hijos de Salvador
- Product name: Manchego PDO
- Milk: Sheep
- Country: Spain
- Region: La Mancha
- Strength: Medium to strong
- Vegetarian: No
- Suitable for pregnancy: Yes
- Allergens: MILK
Sizes and Prices
- 100g wedge, £4.90
- 500g wedge, £24.50
- Wheel (approx. 3kg), 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, salt, starter cultures, rennet, calcium chloride, lysosome (EGG) trace. rind: preservative (E235), colouring (E150d), potassium sorbate (E202)
