🧀 Yorkshire Wensleydale
Yorkshire Wensleydale is an English PGI cow's milk cheese made in Yorkshire, moist and crumbly, with a mild, slightly honeyed taste.
Yorkshire Wensleydale is an English cheese made from cow's milk in Yorkshire: moist, crumbly, with a fresh and mild taste. The name is registered in the EU as a PGI (Protected Geographical Indication, eAmbrosia file PGI-GB-0652, Regulation (EU) No 1401/2013).
It is the Yorkshire form of Wensleydale cheese, named after the valley of Wensleydale. The local cheesemaking tradition is linked to medieval Cistercian monks. The protected name may be used only for cheese made in Yorkshire to the specification; the word Wensleydale on its own is free.
The milk is set with rennet and starter culture, the curd is cut, salted, lightly pressed into cylinders and matured for a short time. Longer-aged cheeses become firmer and fuller in flavour.
The paste is white or creamy, moist and flaky-crumbly. The taste is mild, fresh, slightly tangy, with honeyed notes.
How to eat it: with apple pie or fruit cake, an old Yorkshire custom, or on a cheese board with cranberries or grapes. Cider, ale and light white wines suit it (see Wine and cheese).
The cheese belongs to Semi-hard cheeses, to Wensleydale and to British cheeses; it is made from cow's milk.
Why it matters to you: the PGI guarantees that a cheese sold as Yorkshire Wensleydale was made in Yorkshire following the approved specification.
Facts
| Raw material | Cow's milk |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom (England) |
| Region | Yorkshire |
| Taste | Mild, fresh, with honeyed notes |
| Legal basis | EU PGI, PGI-GB-0652, Regulation 1401/2013 2 |
How it connects to Cheese
🧀 Yorkshire Wensleydale → kind of → 🧀 Semi-hard cheeses → kind of → 🧀 Cheese
Links
- Made from which milk
- 🥛 Cow's milk
- Part of
- 🧀 Semi-hard cheeses, 🧀 Wensleydale, 🏷️ Protected cheese names, 🇬🇧 British cheeses
Frequently asked questions
How does Yorkshire Wensleydale differ from plain Wensleydale?
It is made only in Yorkshire under the PGI specification; the word Wensleydale on its own is free.
Is it true that Wensleydale is eaten with sweet cake?
Yes, in Yorkshire it is an old custom to serve this cheese with apple pie or fruit cake.
What does Yorkshire Wensleydale taste like?
Mild, fresh, slightly tangy, with honeyed notes.
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ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.