Aromas and flavors of fresh earth and flowers, rinds wrapped in greenery, cheese that is young and fresh . . . these are cheeses meant for spring.
Pair spring cheeses with a newly-released vintages of Rosé or aromatic white wines like Viognier, Chenin Blanc or Spanish Verdejo.
1. Brin d’Amour/Fleur du Maquis
Hillside vegetation in Corsica. Photo by David Madison/Getty Images
This sheeps’ milk cheese is scented by a rind of herbs and flowers from the beautiful Mediterranean hillsides in Corsica. The texture ranges from creamy-crumbly to straight creamy. The flavor is slightly tangy milky and buttery.
2. Purple Haze
Purple Haze Cheese. Photo by Jennifer Meier
Purple Haze is a perfect example of different flavors - tangy, floral, sweet - blending together in delicious harmony. The tangy comes from soft creamy goat cheese, the sweet honey-like flavor is from fennel pollen and lavender lends the floral aroma and flavor. Purple Haze is made by Cypress Grove in California.
3. St. Pat
Nettle leaf. Photo used with permission from Getty Images
Besides only being sold in the springtime, what makes this cheese especially spring-y is a wrapping of green nettle leaves that impart a very subtle earthy and grassy flavor. Made from organic cows' milk and aged three weeks, the cheese is creamy and mild flavored. St. Pat is made by Cowgirl Creamery.
4. Saint Nectaire
Saint Nectaire wrapper. Photo from PriceGrabber
This French Camembert-like cheese makes the list because of an aroma - subtle but unmistakable - of one of spring's greatest vegetables, asparagus. This grassy aroma is fresh and clean and the perfect introduction to this mild and creamy cheese.
5. Hoja Santa
Photo by Jennifer Meier
Hoja Santa leaves wrapped around this cheese impart a decidedly herbal flavor into this otherwise mild cheese, flavors reminiscent of mint, pepper and tea leaves. The lovely green wrapping on this refreshing and light cheese is reason enough to consider it a spring cheese.
