Port wine cheese, also known as port wine cheddar, is a variety of cheese that is flavored with port wine. It originated in Canada and is still most commonly found there, though it has spread in popularity to other countries as well. But there has long been a debate around whether port wine cheese should be considered “real” cheese or more of a cheese-based product. In this article, we’ll look at the history, ingredients, and process behind making port wine cheese in order to determine if it meets the criteria to be called real cheese.
What is Port Wine Cheese?
Port wine cheese is a semi-soft cow’s milk cheese that has port wine added during the cheesemaking process. Traditional versions use cheddar cheese as the base, though other cheeses like Colby or gouda are sometimes used too. The port wine flavor gives the cheese a sweetness and subtly fruity flavor. The texture is smooth and spreadable.
Port wine that is used in the cheese can range from tawny port to ruby port. Tawny port tends to be fruitier and sweeter while ruby port imparts more richness. The wine makes up about 10-15% of the total mixture.
The history of port wine cheese dates back to the 1860s in Ontario, Canada. Cheese makers found that adding port wine helped the cheese age and ripen more consistently. The wine helped prevent mold growth while also infusing flavor. The first commercial producer of port wine cheese was in 1901 by A.J. Salm of St. Catharines, Ontario. It was considered a Canadiana product for many decades until it started gaining wider appeal.
How is Port Wine Cheese Made?
Port wine cheese is made in generally the same way as traditional cheddar or Colby cheese. The steps include:
Curdling Milk
It starts with fresh cow’s milk that is heated and curdled by adding rennet. The rennet causes the milk to coagulate and separate into curds (solids) and whey (liquid).
Cutting Curds
The curds are cut into small cubes to help expel more liquid and whey. This helps concentrate and dry the curd pieces.
Cooking and Stirring Curds
The curds are then cooked and stirred. This cooking process continues to remove moisture and firm up the curds.
Draining and Salting
The curds are drained of whey and salted. The salting not only adds flavor but helps control moisture and firming.
Pressing Curds
The salted curds are put into molds and pressed to form blocks. This squeezes the curds together into a cohesive mass.
Aging Cheese
The cheese blocks are aged for 1-3 months at cool temperatures. This allows flavor to develop.
Mixing in Port Wine
After aging, port wine is mixed into the cheese. The port wine makes up about 10-15% of the total weight.
Aging Again
The port wine cheese is aged for another 2-3 months to allow the port flavor to permeate the cheese.
Packaging
Finally, the port wine cheese is packaged while still semi-soft and ready to spread.
So the process is very similar to cheddar or Colby cheesemaking. The main difference is the addition and mixing of port wine before packaging to create the unique hybrid flavor.
Ingredients in Port Wine Cheese
The ingredients in port wine cheese include:
Milk
Traditionally, cow’s milk is used. Whole milk adds more fat and creamy texture.
Starter Cultures
Starter cultures are added to acidify and ripen the cheese. This can include mesophilic or thermophilic cultures.
Rennet
Rennet contains enzymes that cause the milk proteins to coagulate and separate into curds and whey. Animal rennet was traditionally used but now microbial rennet is common.
Salt
Salt is used for flavor, moisture control, and inhibiting microbial growth.
Port Wine
The port wine makes up 10-15% of the mixture. Tawny or ruby styles are most common.
Colorings
Annatto or beta-carotene may be added for a richer orange color reminiscent of cheddar.
So again, the ingredients are similar to traditional cheesemaking with the addition of port wine for flavor. Preservatives, emulsifiers, or other ingredients are not commonly used.
Nutrition Facts of Port Wine Cheese
One serving (1 ounce) of port wine cheese contains:
| Calories | 99 |
|---|---|
| Fat | 7g |
| Saturated Fat | 4g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 23mg |
| Sodium | 176mg |
| Carbohydrates | 1g |
| Fiber | 0g |
| Sugars | 1g |
| Protein | 6g |
As you can see, port wine cheese is high in fat, saturated fat, and sodium as many natural cheeses are. The addition of port wine adds only minimal amounts of carbohydrates and sugars.
So in terms of nutrition, port wine cheese is very similar to regular cheddar or Colby cheese.
What Makes a Cheese a “Real” Cheese?
For a cheese to be considered real, it generally has to meet the following criteria:
Made with Milk
Real cheese is made by curdling real milk and separating curds from whey. Everything starts with fresh milk.
Contains No Substitutes
Real cheese does not contain substitutes for milk fat like vegetable oils. The fat should come only from milk.
Includes Cultures/Enzymes
Cultures and enzymes like rennet are added to ripen and develop flavor in the cheese. Real cheese requires this biological process.
Shaped by Molding/Cutting Curds
The curds are cut and molded to form the texture and shape. Processed cheese is often mechanically emulsified into a homogeneous mass instead.
Ripened and Aged
Aging is part of the cheesemaking process to develop complexity of flavor. Real cheese requires some aging time.
Limited Ingredients
Real cheese has a limited set of ingredients like milk, cultures, enzymes, and salt. Highly processed varieties include many stabilizers and emulsifiers.
So in summary, real cheese depends on a biological process applied to milk, without substitutes or shortcuts. This gives real cheese a unique depth of flavor.
Does Port Wine Cheese Meet the Criteria for “Real” Cheese?
When we compare the process and ingredients of port wine cheese to the criteria for real cheese, it seems to meet most of the qualifications:
Made from Milk
Port wine cheese starts with fresh milk like real cheese does. No milk substitutes are used.
Uses Cultures and Enzymes
It requires starter cultures and rennet to acidify, ripen, and set the cheese. This follows a biological cheesemaking process.
Curds are Cut and Molded
The process involves cutting, cooking, and molding the curds just as with cheddar cheese.
Aged for Months
A key step is aging the cheese for 1-3 months to develop flavor. This meets the expectation of real cheese.
Very Few Additional Ingredients
The only major addition is the port wine itself. No emulsifiers, gums, or thickeners are used.
So by following a traditional cheesemaking approach with very few ingredients outside of milk, cultures, enzymes, and salt, port wine cheese does seem to qualify as real cheese overall.
Potential Points of Contention
There are two aspects of port wine cheese that could potentially disqualify it as “real” cheese:
Addition of Port Wine
The port wine infusion is non-traditional. But port does not contain any dairy substitutes – it simply adds supplemental flavor.
Short Aging Time
Aging for only 2-3 months is on the shorter end for real cheese. But many soft cheese varieties also have short aging periods.
So while port wine cheese may be slightly less “pure” than traditional cheddar, it adheres quite closely to real cheese standards. The addition of port wine is not enough to categorize it otherwise.
How Port Wine Cheese is Classified
Port wine cheese is generally classified in the following ways:
Semi-Soft Cheese
Its smooth, spreadable texture qualifies it as a semi-soft style of cheese. This means it has higher moisture than hard cheeses but less than soft ripened cheeses.
Washed Rind Cheese
The port wine functions as a “wash” during aging, imparting flavor to the exterior. So port wine cheese can be considered a type of washed rind cheese.
Flavored or Aromatized Cheese
The addition of port wine qualifies port wine cheese as a flavored or aromatized cheese. Other examples include dill havarti or pepper jack cheese.
Processed Cheese
Some classifications consider port wine cheese a type of processed cheese because of the added wine flavoring. But the term “processed cheese” more often refers to emulsified products.
So in summary, port wine cheese straddles the line between cheese varieties that are purely milk-based versus flavored/washed rind varieties. But it adheres much more closely to natural cheesemaking than highly processed types.
High-Quality Brands of Port Wine Cheese
Some of the top brands and producers of port wine cheese include:
Black Diamond
The most famous Canadian brand that has been producing port wine cheese since 1933. They use only natural ingredients.
Cracker Barrel
A widely distributed American brand, Cracker Barrel has made port wine cheese since the 1950s.
St. Albert
A Canadian cooperative that makes port wine cheese and other styles since 1954.
Agropur
Another large Canadian dairy cooperative that produces port wine cheddar for the retail and foodservice industry.
Mariposa Dairy
This artisanal farmstead dairy in Ontario has earned awards for its port wine cheese using goat and sheep milk.
The best port wine cheese options use fresh milk, natural enzymes, real port wine, and minimal additives. This leads to a higher quality real cheese experience.
Port Wine Cheese Pairings and Uses
Port wine cheese is a versatile ingredient that can be used in many dishes:
Cheese Board
It pairs well with fruit, nuts, jams, and crackers on a cheese board. The sweetness balances salty crackers.
Grilled Cheese
The smooth, melty texture makes port wine cheese perfect for grilled cheese sandwiches.
Mac and Cheese
Mixing port wine cheese into macaroni and cheese adds subtle fruity flavors.
Quesadillas
Slightly warming port wine cheese in quesadillas releases more sweetness.
French Onion Soup
It can be used as the melted topper for French onion soups.
Cheese Balls
The sweetness of port wine cheese shines through in breaded and baked cheese balls.
Fondue
For a decadent fruity twist, port wine cheese can be used in a cheese fondue.
The port wine flavor pairs especially well with fruit, bread, and salty foods. It brings a unique flavor to both sweet and savory dishes.
Should You Refrigerate Port Wine Cheese?
Yes, port wine cheese should always be refrigerated. As a fresh, perishable dairy product, it requires cold temperatures to prevent spoilage and food safety issues. Refrigeration helps port wine cheese maintain its texture, consistency and flavor.
Keep port wine cheese stored in its original packaging until you are ready to use it. Once opened, rewrap it tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Avoid prolonged exposure to air, which can cause the cheese to dry out.
Properly stored in the fridge, port wine cheese will usually stay fresh for 1-2 months past its printed expiration date. If you see any mold growth, sour smell or oil separation, it’s time to discard it.
For serving, take port wine cheese out of the fridge about 30 minutes before to let it soften slightly. Keep any leftover cheese refrigerated promptly. The key is minimizing temperature fluctuations to preserve this delicate dairy food.
Conclusion
In conclusion, port wine cheese should be considered real cheese despite the addition of port wine flavoring. It is made using a traditional cheesemaking process of curdling milk with enzymes, cutting and molding curds, and aging to develop flavor. The ingredients are also typical of real cheese – milk, cultures, rennet, and salt. While the port wine infusion is untraditional, it does not contain substitute ingredients found in highly processed cheese products. The production method, ingredients, and nutrition profile of port wine cheese are consistent with real cheese standards. Classified as a semi-soft, washed rind, or flavored cheese, port wine cheese offers a unique fusion of sweet wine and savory cheddar. With proper refrigerated storage, it can be enjoyed in a variety of dishes, living up to its reputation as a Canadian classic.