Riseley

Riseley is the washed-rind cousin of Anne and Andy Wigmore's semi-soft ewe's milk cheese, Wigmore. In early 2014, the Neal's Yard Dairy soft cheese maturation team began a ripening experiment which led to the eventual creation of Riseley, named after the Berkshire village in which the couple's dairy is located. The washing process takes up to four weeks and involves dabbing and gently scrubbing the rind with water or brine every few days. The moist conditions provide a perfect environment for the development of pinkish-orange bacteria, while also discouraging any moulds from taking root.

Riseley is created by the Neal's Yard Dairy maturation team who take young Wigmore cheeses and wash their rind. The cheese arrives at a few days old and is washed with a brine solution 3-4 times a week for almost a month. This washing and its maturation in our warmest maturing room encourage the spread of Brevibacterium Linens which is what gives washed cheeses their distinctive flavours, colours and aromas. Once the rind is ready the cheese is wrapped and kept in the cold room to further develop its flavour and ripeness until ready for sale.