WINE CHEESE | WEINKÄSE | Cheese rind refined with red wine | 100% mild and harmonious Austrian cheese enjoyment guarantee | Lactose-free DELUXE Alpine cheese straight from the cheese cellar

from:  6,01

15 reviews

Our hay milk wine cheese gains its mild-spicy aroma through careful hand-aging, with its rind refined using the finest red wine.

Base price: €30.03/kg

Fresh shipping | every tuesday

No artificial colors/flavors

No fillers

Gluten free

WINE CHEESE | Aged Semi-Hard Cheese from Hay Milk | Lactose-Free Cheese with 45% F.i.T., freshly sliced from the cheese wheel, from the cheese cellar | Delightfully mild and harmonious flavor guaranteed

The hay milk wine cheese by experienced cheesemaker Christof Schneider is a true delicacy, combining top quality and exceptional taste. This unique cheese is based on carefully selected semi-hard cheese wheels from various renowned dairies in the Bregenzerwald, known for their traditional cheesemaking craft.

After selection, the cheese is transferred to the Berchtold family’s cheese cellar, where it is meticulously tended and aged. A special feature of this wine cheese is its treatment with Austrian red wine.

During the aging process, the cheese rind is regularly rubbed with red wine, giving it a distinctive, spicy wine aroma. This unique method not only enhances the flavor but also creates a visually appealing product, with a cream-white, holey interior and a semi-firm texture.

The wine cheese is made from the finest hay milk, giving it a rich flavor, high quality, and ensuring sustainability. Hay milk comes from cows that are fed only fresh grass and hay, resulting in a particularly natural and aromatic cheese.

The cheese is also lactose-free, allowing those with lactose intolerance to enjoy this exquisite product.

Rawmilk listing cheese
Lactose free icon

Lactose-Free Aged Cheese: The natural milk sugar in our hay milk cheese is broken down by lactic acid bacteria, resulting in lactic acid and optimal flavor and aroma development.

With its unique flavor and premium craftsmanship, this wine cheese is a true delight for those who appreciate high-quality cheese.

Wine cheese is rubbed with the finest Austrian red wine during aging, giving it a characteristic flavor and a dark red to almost black-red cheese rind.

WINE CHEESE | Cheese rind refined with red wine | 100% mild and harmonious Austrian cheese enjoyment guarantee | Lactose-free DELUXE Alpine cheese straight from the cheese cellar

Our wine cheese belongs to the family of our mild cheeses in our shop overview.

Characteristics of the Wine Cheese Variety

Our wine cheese acquires a spicy wine aroma through careful hand-aging, with its rind rubbed with the finest Austrian red wine. The cheese interior is cream-white, nicely holey, and of firm texture.

This fine wine cheese, with its smooth and creamy texture and occasional cherry-sized holes, is a favorite among cheese enthusiasts. Its mild and unique flavor and soft texture also make it a local favorite among both residents and visitors.

It gains its distinctive aroma through careful hand-aging, with its rind regularly treated with Austrian red wine.

The unique qualities of wine cheese are significantly influenced by the high-quality Alpine milk and the unique flavor and texture imparted by the Alpine flora of Vorarlberg.

This combination results in the exceptional quality of Alpine cheese.

For further details on semi-hard cheeses, visit Wikipedia.

WINE CHEESE Wheel | Cheese rind refined with red wine | 100% mild and harmonious Austrian cheese enjoyment guarantee | Lactose-free DELUXE Alpine cheese straight from the cheese cellar

Historical Background of Vorarlberg Cheese

Cheese has been produced and aged in Vorarlberg’s Alpine and valley dairies since the early 20th century.

The production method of “fat cheese” (as opposed to lean cheese, such as Sura Käs in Montafon) originally came from Switzerland and quickly spread through Bregenzerwald.

Semi-hard cheeses are made from natural (non-thermized, pasteurized, or centrifugally purified) (hay milk) with a minimum of 45% F.i.T.

Small-scale farming operations supply the raw materials, while Alpine dairies preserve the artisanal production and traditional care of high-quality cheese to this day.

For further information on semi-hard cheese, see Wikipedia.

WINE CHEESE | Cheese rind refined with red wine | 100% mild and harmonious Austrian cheese enjoyment guarantee | Lactose-free DELUXE Alpine cheese straight from the cheese cellar

Wine Cheese Holes

The wine cheese has occasional cherry-sized holes. Its cream-white interior is nicely holey and of firm texture.

WINE CHEESE | Cheese rind refined with red wine | 100% mild and harmonious Austrian cheese enjoyment guarantee | Lactose-free DELUXE Alpine cheese straight from the cheese cellar

The Wine Cheese Rind

The rind of wine cheese is periodically treated with Austrian red wine, resulting in a red color. It is not meant to be consumed due to the protective layer of sticky red wine.

WINE CHEESE | Cheese rind refined with red wine | 100% mild and harmonious Austrian cheese enjoyment guarantee | Lactose-free DELUXE Alpine cheese straight from the cheese cellar

Wine Cheese Storage and Aging

The wine cheese is aged for approximately 4 months in our cheese cellar before being ready to enjoy.

Special Quality Characteristics of Our Semi-Hard Cheese

  • The rind forms when cheese wheels are immersed in a iodine-free salt bath after molding.
  • The salt bath promotes rind formation and inhibits bacteria. Depending on the cheese variety, the wheels remain in the bath for varying durations.
  • The salt draws water from the cheese wheel, which is then regularly treated with iodine-free salt & brine until fully aged.

Palate Magic

The uniqueness of wine cheese lies in its mild, special cheese flavor paired with wine notes.

Wine Cheese Intensity

How mild or spicy is the cheese? We rate on a scale from 0 (mild) to 10 (spicy).

5/10

Wine Cheese Texture

How firm is the cheese? We rate on a scale from 0 (soft) to 10 (firm).

6/10

Wine Cheese Aging

How long did the cheese age? We rate aging time from 1 to 12 months.

4/12

Additional Details on Hay Milk Wine Cheese

Wine Cheese Character
Milk: 100% from non-silage hay milk
Cheese Type: Semi-hard cheese (SK)
Aging Type: Lactic acid and/or fermentation aging / Surface aging in the cheese cellar with salt care + red wine treatment
Flavor Profile: Mild, smooth, creamy
Aging Time: 3 months
F.i.T.: at least 45%
Total Fat: approx. 22.5%
Allergens: No other allergenic potential besides milk components
Lactose: Not contained
Rennet: Natural, animal rennet
Salt: Iodine-free table salt
What characterizes the cheese – the wine cheese character? Especially soft cheese with a creamy, melt-in-the-mouth texture
How does the wine cheese taste? Rich, creamy cheese-wine flavor
How is the texture, how does it feel? Semi-firm cheese with a creamy, melt-in-the-mouth texture
What color is the wine cheese? Whitish to yellowish, highly seasonal
How does the cheese smell? Pleasant cheese aroma combined with fine wine nuances
What about the holes? Occasional cherry-sized holes
How to best enjoy the cheese? On breakfast or snack bread, with breakfast, or simply sliced for dinner.
How can you tell if the aging is suboptimal? The cheese should be semi-firm, not mushy.

If you plan to store large pieces or a whole cheese wheel for more than 2-3 weeks, we recommend using a kitchen towel.

Take a clean kitchen towel, soak it in salt water (just add a bit of salt), wring it out, and wrap the cheese in the damp cloth. Ideally, repeat this process every 2-3 days.

If the cheese starts to develop a light white film or spots, it’s usually salt or protein crystallizing due to temperature differences. These spots can simply be rubbed off.

Using aluminum foil is possible (although we do not recommend it), provided it has several small holes to allow airflow.

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