Winterdale Cheesemakers

We start with the freshest milk from our family farm. Milk is taken straight from the cow at body temperature, in this way the original characteristics and flora of our milk are fully retained and importantly the natural heat.

At present, we are milking around 100 Friesian Holstein cows. The cows enjoy a relaxed farming method.

During the winter, they are housed in large open straw bedded cow sheds giving them the opportunity to behave naturally as cows should.

Come spring time the cows are set free to the wonderful lush meadows of the chalky North Downs of Kent (they tend to act like spring lambs when let out for the first time), this is our unique “terroir” and ultimately the chalky earth of the of our lush meadows imparts many unique characteristics and complexities that are then taken up by the grass, from grass to the cow, cow to milk and finally milk to cheese, a very similar concept to the quality wine producers of Jura in France which rely on the chalky earth to give the grape/wine it’s unique qualities.

We calve all year round and maintain a closed herd so we breed all our own replacements to maintain high genetics and good quality milk.

The cheese and the curd is filled into the cheese moulds and then into our traditional wood cheese presses and then pressed for 3 days.

We then remove and carefully wrap every cheese in cotton muslin, this will allow the cheese to breathe whilst maturing for some 10 months.

Our unique link in the process comes with the truckles being lowered into our cave dug deep into the chalky North Downs of Kent, where they will further develop even more interesting characteristics in flavour.