A hint of sweet, a hint of sharp and a ton of flavor: this young Manchego is nothing short of delicious. This farmhouse cheese puts the grocery store Manchego cheeses to shame. Our friends at Villajos use incredibly fresh milk from local, free ranging sheep and lovingly tend each wheel as it ages. You can taste the difference in each delicious bite!

This young Manchego is complex and flavorful, yet mild and approachable. The cheesemaker uses pasteurized fresh milk which mellows the bold, sharp flavor you will find in a raw milk Manchego. This large wedge is the perfect amount to bring out for a cocktail party or family gathering. You can also slice wedges to serve as an hors d’oeuvre or a cheese course, then wrap the rest of the wheel in wax paper to store for later.

The Villajos family makes this artisan Manchego by hand. They focus on quality from the beginning, using the freshest possible milk from Manchega sheep, a name that means "from La Mancha." Local herds graze on hills above their cheese-making facility, nibbling rosemary and other herbs in the fresh grass. This diverse diet makes for complex milk when the animals are milked each morning in time for the cheese-making.

We stumbled upon this outstanding cheese at a fair in Trujillo, deep in western Spain. Even though we’d spent the entire day tasting cheeses, this Manchego stood out above the rest. Its firm yet creamy texture gave way to a delightful nuttiness: what a discovery at the end of a long day. Only later did we realize we’d tasted an award-winning cheese.

Master cheese maker Beni transforms the milk into the wheels that are aged for six months before it becomes true Manchego. The result is a slightly sharp, intensely aromatic cheese with a bold, yet creamy nuttiness. We love to drizzle some chestnut honey over a wedge with a slice of fresh bread, or serve it alongside dried figs. Sometimes it makes its way into our kitchen, either in a Spanish tortilla or shaved into a fresh salad.