How we score cheese

Every cheese on this site is rated 0–10 on five attributes. Those scores — not opinions typed out one page at a time — drive our rankings, substitute matches, and wine pairings. This is a stated editorial method, applied consistently, so the pages stay comparable.

• meltability — how smoothly the cheese melts without splitting or greasing out
• sharpness — the intensity and tang of the flavor
• creaminess — richness and mouthfeel
• firmness — texture from soft and spreadable to hard and gratable
• pungency — strength of aroma, from clean to funky

Factual details (milk, country, style, price tier) are checked against authoritative sources. Scores reflect our consistent editorial assessment and are meant for comparison, not laboratory measurement.