Description
Wigmore Cheese
About Wigmore
Wigmore is one of our most local cheeses, made by our friends at Village Maid Cheese here in Berkshire.
It’s a soft, bloomy-rinded sheep’s milk cheese and one of the cheeses that really put Village Maid on the map. Rich, creamy and wonderfully buttery when ripe, Wigmore is now considered something of a modern British classic.
And deservedly so.
The Story Behind Wigmore
Wigmore was created by Anne Wigmore, who founded Village Maid Cheese in 1986 after working as a microbiologist at the National Institute for Research in Dairying.
At a time when Britain’s artisan cheese revival was really beginning to gather pace, Anne was experimenting with different milks and cheesemaking styles. Wigmore was her answer to the question of what a soft, bloomy-rinded cheese made with rich sheep’s milk could become.
Rather than trying to recreate a French Brie or Camembert, Anne created something with a character all of its own.
The sheep’s milk is important. Naturally rich and creamy, it gives Wigmore a wonderfully luxurious texture and a gentle sweetness that sets it apart from similar cow’s milk cheeses.
The Make
Wigmore is made with pasteurised sheep’s milk. The delicate curds are gently ladled into moulds, helping them retain plenty of moisture and giving the finished cheese its soft texture.
As it matures, a thin white bloomy rind develops and the cheese begins to ripen from the outside in.
This means a young Wigmore can still be quite firm in the centre, with a softer layer just beneath the rind. Give it a little more time and that creaminess gradually works its way towards the middle.
And that’s when things start getting really interesting.
Wigmore – Jen’s Tasting Notes
A properly ripe Wigmore is an absolute treat.
The sheep’s milk gives it a rich, buttery flavour with a gentle natural sweetness. When it’s younger, the centre is firmer and slightly lactic, while the paste immediately beneath the rind has already started becoming soft and creamy.
As it ripens, the whole cheese becomes more yielding and the flavours deepen. I get sweet cream, toasted hazelnuts and a lovely savoury nuttiness, with mushroomy notes developing closer to the rind.
At its ripest, the outside can become so soft you could almost eat it with a spoon.
Which, to be fair, I have absolutely no objection to.
How to Serve and Pair Wigmore
- 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: Champagne or a good English sparkling wine is fantastic with Wigmore. The acidity and bubbles cut straight through the richness of the sheep’s milk.
- Something a little different: If you’d rather have red, try a light Gamay. Keep away from anything too tannic — Wigmore is far too delicate for a wrestling match with a massive red wine.
- On the plate: Ripe pears or fresh figs are gorgeous with Wigmore, along with a little quince paste and some simple crackers or good bread.
- In the kitchen: Wrap Wigmore in puff pastry with a few cranberries or apricots and bake until the pastry is golden and the cheese starts to ooze. It’s ridiculously good.
Jen’s note: Wigmore won a Super Gold at the 2023 World Cheese Awards in Norway and was named one of the top 16 cheeses in the world. Only two British cheeses made that final 16 — Wigmore and Sinodun Hill. Not bad for a little cheese made just down the road from us!
Buying Wigmore
- Brand or Producer: Village Maid Dairy
- Product name: Wigmore
- Milk: Sheep
- Country: England
- Region: Berkshire
- Strength: Mild
- Vegetarian: Yes
- Suitable for pregnancy: No
- Allergens: MILK
Sizes and Prices
- 1/8 wheel, £4.25
- 1/2 wheel, £17.00
- Whole cheese (approx. 800g), £34.00
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, cultures, salt, vegetarian rennet
