hard · sheep milk · Spain · $$$

Roncal cheese

A firm body, with a sharp, bold bite.

Attribute scores

meltability 4/10

sharpness 7/10

creaminess 2/10

firmness 8/10

pungency 5/10

Best cheese wine pairing

Pair Roncal cheese with a bold Spanish red like Tempranillo (Rioja) — a salty, sharp sheep's-milk cheese (sharpness 7) wants a structured red to match it.

Substitutes for Roncal cheese

Kefalotyri a very close match across the board Pecorino Sardo similar overall, but less sharpness Pag cheese similar overall, but less sharpness Manchego similar overall, but less sharpness Grana Padano similar overall, but more sharpness Idiazabal cheese similar overall, but less sharpness