Aged Cheddar (Grafton)
- Producer
- Grafton Village Cheese
- Country
- United States
- Region
- Vermont
- Size
- Varies
- Weight
- 8 oz; 1 lb; 5 lbs; 10 lbs
- Website
- http://www.graftonvillagecheese.com/
- Milk
- Cow
- Treatment
- Raw
- Classification
- Firm
- Rennet
- Microbial
- Rind
- None
Plastic - Style
- Cheddar-like
Located in Vermont, the Grafton Cooperative Cheese Company was originally founded in 1892 with the purpose of converting surplus milk from local dairy farmers into cheese. Years later, a fire destroyed the original factory. The factory and the company were restored in the mid-1960s by The Windham Foundation, a philanthropic organization that supports the rural community surrounding Grafton via educational and practical means. Today, Grafton Cheese handcrafts artisanal, aged cheddar, and specialty cheeses. Proceeds from the sale of these cheeses support the Windham Foundation’s charitable efforts.
Tasting Notes
Grafton Village’s classic cheddar cheeses are aged from one to four years. Texture and flavor of the cheese varies depending on age. The youngest of the Grafton Village Cheddars available for sale, One Year Aged Cheddar, is medium in intensity, with satisfying sweet and buttery flavors. Grafton’s signature cheddar, Two Year Aged Cheddar, has a bold flavor with tangy, lactic notes and hints of hay and brown butter. Three Year Aged Cheddar is boldly complex with a bright, lactic flavor profile, hints of toasted hazelnuts, and a lingering, piquant finish. And, finally, Four Year Aged Cheddar, a rarity among raw-milk cheddars, is characterized by bright and bold flavors reminiscent of whiskey and toasted nuts, mellowing into a sweet finish.
Pairings
With One Year Aged Cheddar, try a Chardonnay, a Riesling, or a pilsner.
For Two Year Aged Cheddar, try a Champagne or other sparkling white wine, a Merlot, or a brown ale.
Three Year Aged Cheddar pairs excellently with an aged Zinfandel, a Pinot Noir or an amber ale.
Bold Four Year Aged Cheddar makes a great match for an equally bold California Cabernet, an aged French Bordeaux, a porter, or mead.
