Idiazábal

Spain


Idiazábal is a robust and sharp sheep’s cheese from the heart of the Basque Region in Spain.

Historically during production the Idiazábal cheese wheels were smoked over beechwood, hawthorn, or cherry for 10 days, imparting a slight smoky quality that added depth to the rich, nutty flavor of this sheep milk cheese.

The cheese is handmade using unpasteurized Latxa milk and covered in an inedible, smoked and waxy rind with no mold.

The interior is compact, without air pockets other than the occasional pin-head size holes, and is beige or pale yellow in color.

When aged for a few months it develops a full flavored taste, slightly nutty, piquant and buttery, characteristic of sheep’s milk cheese.

The taste of the cheese is reminiscent of burnt caramel and bacon.

If aged longer, it becomes firm, dry and sharp and can be used for grating.

Idiázabal has a firm texture, similar to Zamorano, Roncal, and Manchego.

Idiazábal goes beautifully with fresh fruits, ham, sausage and crusty bread and pairs well with a hearty red wine.

Store natural rind cheeses at 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit tightly wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent moisture loss. If the plastic wrap imparts a slightly “plastic” flavor to the cheese, simply scrape the surface before serving.

Idiázabal hails from the Basque country in Spain. Idiazabal (Idiazabel or Queso Idiazabal La Vasco Navarra) is a traditional, farmhouse, hard cheese made from raw milk of Latxa or Carranza sheep in the Basque and Navarra regions of northern Spain.

Named after the village of Idiazabal, the cheese received Spanish D.O. (Denominacion de Origen) in 1987.

During production, the wheels were traditionally smoked over beechwood, hawthorn, or cherry for 10 days, imparting a slight smoky quality that would add depth to the rich, nutty flavor of this sheep milk cheese.

Traditionally, Basque shepherds would keep their flocks high in the Pyrenees Mountains throughout the spring and summer. During this time, the artisanal cheese makers milk the sheep, make the cheese and leave it in the rafters to mature for at least two months.

In the early autumn, right after the first snows, the shepherds would appear in the villages below carrying with them the cheeses they made from the ewe’s milk all summer long.

To preserve the cheeses in the highlands they stored them by the chimneys of their mountain shelters, where they aged and naturally smoked.

This Denomination of Origin raw sheep’s milk cheese is hardwood smoked, coloring the outer rind from orange to a nutty brown. The smoke gently permeates the pale beige interior. As it ages, the flavor becomes a little sharper, and can be grated.

The taste of the cheese is reminiscent of burnt caramel and bacon.

Milk Sheep
Texture Firm
Country Spain
Pronunciation ee-dyah-tha-ball

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