IMMORTAL CHEDDAR

Do you believe in the Cheddar Man? Well, I do. I’ve seen him at Cheddar Gorge: seemingly small and insignificant in his last resting place deep under the ground, he’s quite possibly the most powerful man to have lived ever. The Cheddar Man was discovered in 1903 in one of Cheddar Gorge's caves, as “the earliest whole skeleton in Britain”. He lived 9,000 years ago and met a grizzly end on a stick, eaten by cannibals, local or outsiders. Were they cheesed off with him or just greedy? We’ll never know. They’re long gone. But Cheddar Man’s bones have been left to posterity. It was recently discovered through DNA tests that the Cheddar Man was a tough guy and his blood still runs in the veins of people living in Cheddar today. Wouldn’t we all like to have his power of survival?

And Cheddar Man isn’t the only thing to be made in Cheddar which was destined for immortality. There’s also cheddar cheese. In 1727, Daniel Defoe wrote, “….without any dispute, it is the best cheese that England affords if not that the whole world affords.” And how the kings loved it! King Henry II in the XII century bought tonnes and tonnes of it, so did his son. And every king since has following suit. Indeed, there was a time when the Palace was the only place a man could get a piece of cheddar. It was truly the cheese of kings and it still is the King of Cheeses.

The best traditional cheddars come from Somerset in the West Country - Keen’s Cheddar, Montgomery’s (strictly traditional) Cheddar and Westcombe Cheddar. Their winning formula lies in their simplicity: just unpasteurised milk, salt and animal rennet. Sorry, vegetarians! The result is stunning: complex flavours and a firm texture which miraculously melts in the mouth and a long lasting finish like a top quality wine.

Cheddar has a love affair with almost every wine. Whether it be fine or affordable, elegant or daily, white or red, it’s one of very few cheeses which does not discriminate and is not discriminated by any wine. It complements fine wines unobtrusively and enhances the ones that need their spirits lifted. Try it first with Cabernet Sauvignon, Rioja, Riesling, Gavi, and Pinot Grigio.

Neal's Yard Dairy, in London, stocks every cheddar you’ll ever need.

Montgomery’s, 18 months matured, went exquisitely well with today’s wine:

2005 Villa Flora, Lugana DOC, Zenato Peschiera del Garda, 13% alcohol. Limited edition, all the bottles are numbered.
(Waitrose - £5.99, £5.69 online)

Light gold in colour to lift your spirit on a chilly winter evening, with uncomplicated soft pear and white flowers aromas on the nose and elderflower and light fruit on the palate, it’s well balanced with good acidity and the texture is smooth and seemingly a tad oily. The wine is made from Trebbiano of Lugana which grows on the southern shore of Lake Garda, as the locals believe, since the Bronze Age. Azienda Zenato was founded by Sergio Zenato in 1960. He still runs the winery together with his children Alberto and Nadia.

The wine goes well with fish, seafood and cheeses. Very good as an aperitif.