The Art of Cheesemaking: Meet Kristijan and David, Two Very Special Cheesemakers From Sinji Vrh above the Vipava Valley
A thousand metres above Ajdovščina, on Sinji Vrh overlooking the Vipava Valley, Golden Ring Cheese lets raw milk, dark tunnels and time do the talking. In this small Slovenian boutique cheesemaking operation, every wheel of cheese has a unique story.
Golden Ring Cheese is a small Slovenian boutique cheesemaker pursuing its passion in one of the most beautiful corners of the Vipava Valley. Located on Sinji Vrh above Ajdovščina, at an altitude of 1,000 metres, it offers more than exceptional cheese: breathtaking views of the valley are part of the experience too.
Vipava Valley
Committed to Handcrafting
Their cheeses are handmade from raw cow’s milk sourced from the mountains. The production process is particularly fascinating. The cheeses develop their flavour deep underground, in complete darkness, at a constant temperature and high humidity. They mature in disused tunnels belonging to an Italian border post dating back to the early twentieth century.
Sinji Vrh above Ajdovščina is where their cheese story is unfolding.
This distinctive microclimate leaves its own signature on the flavours. Maturation is the longest stage of cheesemaking. Here, it takes at least four months. The lower temperature allows the cheese to mature more slowly and develop its flavour gradually.
One Wheel at a Time
Each cheese tells its own story, and every batch is distinctive. “Every wheel writes its own story. We don’t worry about its shape; we simply let time work its magic,” the team at Golden Ring Cheese says of its cheese wheels.
They also make other varieties seasonally, depending on the ingredients available at the time. Behind Golden Ring Cheese are David Ličen and Kristijan Vidmar.
One distinctive feature of their semi-hard cheeses is that they spend the entire maturation period wrapped in cotton cloth. “This allows for a balanced exchange of moisture, helping the cheese mature evenly. Over time, beautiful textures of natural mould begin to develop on the surface, ranging from grey and blue to orange hues,” cheesemaker Kristijan Vidmar explained to us while presenting one such cheese at the Alpe Adria fair in Ljubljana.
Kristijan Vidmar presenting Golden Ring Cheese at the Alpe-Adria Fair in Ljubljana.
Even More Refined Flavours
Their Soft Valley cheese contains nettles and other carefully selected ingredients, while some of their other cheeses are gently “dressed” in fragrant herbs.
Deep underground, some mature covered in wild garlic, while others are wrapped in fig leaves. For a finishing touch, they are delicately enhanced with wine brandy. The combinations are numerous, each more distinctive than the last.
Working with a customer’s wishes, they can also develop a completely unique cheese made especially for them.
“Wrapped in mountain hay like this, this one will rest in total darkness for at least three months,” they wrote alongside the photograph below, which they shared on social media.
They also showcase their cheeses at cheesemaking gatherings and festivals abroad, including Italy’s CASEUS festival, held every October at the magnificent Villa Contarini in Padua.
