Cheese Caves
During a visit in 2004 to Burgundy, France, a wine artisan invited us into a cave where he ripened Comté cheese using an artisanal method: aromatic plants were grown at the bottom and the cheeses were left to mature on wooden shelves. Aromatic plants, such as rosemary and lavender, have a special effect on cheese: while they naturally purify the air and prevent mold growth, they also give the cheese a distinctive floral bouquet.
Inspired by this original idea, we decided to refine the concept to age our star cheese, Manchego with Protected Designation of Origin, in a unique setting.
Located northwest of the city of Jerez de la Frontera, in Andalusia, on top of a hill with a stunning 360-degree view of the surrounding landscape, Alimentias discovered the ideal spot to start this project. The construction of Finca Maria Paz, an estate designed in the traditional style of the architecture in this area, started in 2018. On the underground level, pioneering cheese caves and a greenhouse were created to refine the finest cheese from Spain.
Four caves are used to ripen our Cave Aged Manchego, resulting in a uniquely exquisite cheese with a floral flavor and intense aroma.
Furthermore, we wanted to achieve a symbiosis between cheese and the local environment, considering Finca’s location in the area where the best Sherry wine is produced. We therefore designed one of the most spectacular cuevas where 5Q’s, raw sheep’s milk cheese, is aged inside Sherry casks. The Cask absorbs the unique hues and aromas of the wine, releasing a powerful fragrance. Throughout maturation, the cheese takes in all the scents emanating from the wood, resulting in a quintessential cheese boasting an unmistakable Sherry wine-infused profile.