Fantastic weather at the Big Feastival yesterday in the Cotswolds and here is The Wine Tipster in Alex James’ Cheese Hub waxing lyrically about Blue Monday! Blue Monday is a lovely blue cheese, less intense than others, with a savoury,creamy character, good lenghty finish too and is a must for any cheeseboard. Rather than matching with port, The Wine Tipster selected the smooth, intensely fruity Casillero del Diablo Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Valley, Chile 2012 which was a good match.

In this wine matching session The Wine Tipster also featured Alex’s Farleigh Wallop, Little Wallop, Goddess and Good Queen Maude. The semi-soft Goddess which is perfect at around eight -ten weeks, changing from creamy notes at four-five weeks  to a more buttery intense and indulgent cheese at this age was  matched with Heidsieck Monopole’s Rosé Top NV and showed, once again, how versatile Champagne can be with cheese.

The Good Queen Maude, made at Alex’s farm using raw ewes’ milk and matured for four months is firm, smooth with a lingering spicy finish. This delicious cheese worked well with the spicy notes of the good value Zalze Shiraz Grenache Viognier 2012, Western Cape, South Africa, currently on offer at £5.99 down from £7.99 in the Co-op.