Description
The Queso de Murcia al Vino PDO is a cheese made from the goat's milk from the Murciana breed.
Production Area
The production area of Queso de Murcia al Vino PDO includes all the communities of the province of Murcia and in the region of the same name.
Production Method
The milk is filtered and then animal rennet and other authorised enzymes are added. After breaking, the curds are put in moulds without incisions, for 2-4 hours and compressed. The product then goes on to be salted after which there is the ripening process, or more precisely at the end of the first and third week the products are immersed in a red wine typical of the area.
Appearance and Flavour
Queso de Murcia al Vino PDO is a fat cheese, the paste is pressed, washed and uncooked and it has a cylindrical form and is of a variable size. The paste is creamy and elastic, compact when cut, it is white in colour with few holes. The rind is smooth and elastic, very light and of a garnet red-ginger colour due to the immersion in red wine. It has a slightly acid taste, lightly salted with a pleasant scent of wine.
History
Like Queso de Murcia PDO also Queso de Murcia al Vino PDO is an ancient part of the culinary customs in the Murcia area, which includes handmade cheeses , an activity which developed also due to the specialisation in the rearing of Murciana goats at the end of the 19th century.
Gastronomy
Queso de Murcia al Vino PDO should be kept in the least cold compartment of the refrigerator, protected by tin foil or alternatively in a very fresh and dry area. It is served simply sliced like tapas, an appetiser or it can be used as an ingredient in a variety of dishes. It can be used in many recipes such as the stuffed-fish pie, flaky cheese pastry and stuffed figs. It is very good with a young, aromatic wine, which incorporates a variety of grapes such as a Cabernet or a Merlot (which are predominant in the area).
Marketing
The product is sold as Queso de Murcia al Vino PDO, with a minimum maturation of 45 days for the larger and 30 days for the smaller cheeses. The product is sold in packages of 400 gr, 1 kg or 2 kg, but also sliced and in specially shaped trays or vacuum-sealed.
Distinctive Features
Queso de Murcia al Vino PDO owes its particular qualities to its immersion in red wine during the maturation period, which gives it its characteristic taste.
