Evora DOP

Hailing from the sun-drenched plains of Portugal’s Alentejo region, Queijo de Évora DOP is a historic, artisanal sheep’s milk cheese coagulated using natural wild thistle flower (Cynara cardunculus). Handcrafted in small traditional wheels, it undergoes a careful aging process that forms a rustic, yellowish rind and a distinctly characterful paste.

Inside, it reveals a dense, semi-hard to hard texture that transitions from slightly chalky when young to pleasantly brittle with age. On the palate, it delivers an unmistakable, rustic intensity—balancing a rich, herbaceous sheep’s milk creaminess with a sharp, complex bitterness and a lively, lingering salinity characteristic of thistle-curdled Portuguese cheeses.

A magnificent centerpiece for authentic Iberian platters, it pairs exquisitely with crusty sourdough bread, quince paste (marmelada), or sweet cured olives. Enhance its sharp, herbal depth with a glass of dry red wine, or a chilled Prosecco.