Pecorino Muffa Bianca (Apennine Hills, Umbria)

From Gubbio, this 1.8 kg (4 lb) ewe’s milk cheese is heated to just below pasteurization to help eliminate any unknown pathogens since the Sopravvissana and Sardinian sheep mostly graze on open pasture land with the addition of sweet dry hay during the colder months. The outside moulds grow naturally on the rind without any additional bacteria having to be added to the milk to encourage this process. The cheeses are aged for three months in stone caves in the hills, and the semi-hard texture has a lovely rounded taste with an aroma of wild flora and mushrooms. I prefer wines with a bit of bite and acidity with this cheese, especially the dry Chianti styles and Montalcino. You definitely need something that can cope with all the wild and fruity flavours.