Pleasant Ridge Reserve (Uplands Cheese, Madison, Wisconsin)

Mike and Carol Gingrich together with Dan and Jeanne Patenaude started the farm in 1994. The cheese is modelled on Pyrénées cheeses such as Ossau, with particular attention to the washing and rubbing of the rinds during the maturing process, and replicating the temperature and humidity levels you would find in the stone caves of that region.

The fresh unpasteurized milk is processed into cheese directly after the last cow has been milked, and traditional cultures are used in the coagulation into curds. The slow ageing of the reserve cheese, 12 months minimum, gives a really layered flavour profile of fruit, nut, cream and acidity that is not only incredibly delicious but also lingering and sweet. This is an expensive cheese, but worth every penny and highlights the level of expertise from independent cheesemakers.