Hunter Belle Cheese 'Belleyere'

Gruyere-style (Hard Cooked)
Cow's milk (Brown Swiss)
Hunter Valley
~3kg wheels
2-4 months maturation
www.hunterbellecheese.com.au

Hard cheeses are not widely made in Australia, let alone in New South Wales, so Hunter Belle's 'Belleyere' rates a special mention. Pronounced bell-yeah, it is made in a Gruyere-style, and matured for around 3 months.

Hunter Belle 'Belleyere'

Owned and operated by Geoff and Tania Chesworth, Hunter Belle makes cheeses exclusively from the milk of Brown Swiss cows, sourced from a single herd near Singleton. Most of them have belle-themed names, a legacy of the original cheesemaker which is being continued by current cheesemaker Tim Gadischke.

The rich milk from these pasture-fed cows produces a deep, golden colour in the 'Belleyere'. It has the slightly pungent aroma of a smear-ripened cheese like Tilsit, a compact Gruyere texture, a mild Cheddar-like tang, and a lingering sweet aftertaste - a little bit of something for everyone.