Knowing how to store Spanish artisan cheese can make the difference between enjoying all that richness and losing it within a few days through excessive cold, plastic wrapping or unwanted aromas.

The aim isn't to stop the cheese from evolving completely. It's to protect it so that it develops slowly, retains its natural moisture and preserves its aromas. Each variety has its own requirements, but a few principles work well for most premium Spanish cheeses.

How to store Spanish artisan cheese without losing quality

Cheese needs to breathe, but it shouldn't dry out. It also needs to be kept cool, although not exposed to the harsh cold of the chilliest part of the refrigerator.

The vegetable drawer or a lower shelf is often a good place, as temperatures tend to be more stable and humidity somewhat higher.

As a general reference, keeping cheese between 4 and 8°C works well for many varieties. A domestic refrigerator can vary considerably depending on the area, how often the door is opened and how full it is. Rather than becoming obsessed with an exact temperature, avoid two extremes: cheese exposed to freezing cold and cheese left at room temperature for days.

Wrapping matters just as much as temperature. If you've bought a cut wedge, remove the plastic film commonly used for transport or sale, particularly if you're going to keep it for several days.

Wrap the wedge in cheese paper, baking parchment or waxed paper, then place it in a container with a lid that doesn't seal completely airtight.

This helps prevent the cheese from drying out while also stopping it from scenting your entire refrigerator. A characterful blue cheese can easily transfer its aroma to butter, fruit or delicate desserts, so keeping a dedicated container for cheese makes sense in a gourmet kitchen.

Not all wrapping materials are suitable. Aluminium foil isn't the best option for prolonged direct contact, particularly with moist or soft cheeses. Sealed plastic bags aren't ideal either: they trap moisture and can encourage unpleasant ammoniacal aromas.

If plastic film is your only option, use it temporarily and replace it with more appropriate wrapping as soon as possible.

The type of cheese determines how it should be stored

Spain has an extraordinary diversity of artisan cheeses, and they don't all respond to storage in the same way. Maturation, texture, rind and type of milk all influence how long a cheese will keep and how it should be protected.

Aged and semi-aged cheeses

An aged Manchego, Zamorano, aged Mahón-Menorca or Roncal keeps very well when protected from dry air.

These cheeses have a lower moisture content and a firm, concentrated texture, so they can often keep for several weeks after opening. Cover the cut surface with paper while allowing the natural rind to breathe.

If the surface dries slightly, it doesn't necessarily mean the cheese is spoiled. Trim away a thin layer before serving and the interior may still be in excellent condition.

For cheeses with brushed rinds or rinds treated with oil or paprika, don't wash or scrape them unnecessarily. This outer layer contributes to both their character and protection.

Young and soft cheeses

Young cheeses, creamy tortas and other high-moisture cheeses require greater attention.

They should generally be eaten sooner, often within a week of opening, although the appropriate period depends on the production date and the cheesemaker's instructions.

A Torta del Casar or Torta de La Serena is best enjoyed within a relatively short period, properly covered and protected from sudden changes in temperature. Once the rind has been opened to access the creamy interior, place it in a container and keep it upright.

Its luscious centre deserves nothing more complicated than a spoon, some sourdough bread and a table where nobody is in a hurry.

Fresh cheeses follow a different set of rules. Requesón, Burgos cheese and other unripened cheeses should remain refrigerated in their original packaging and be consumed promptly.

There's little room for improvisation here: follow the recommended date and discard the product if its smell, colour or texture changes significantly.

Blue and washed-rind cheeses

Cabrales, Valdeón, Picón Bejes-Tresviso and other Spanish blue cheeses are intense, moist and delicate.

Wrap them first in suitable paper and then place them in a separate box or container. This will help preserve their balance while preventing them from dominating the aromas of everything else in the refrigerator.

With blue cheeses, blue-green veining is naturally desirable. What should raise concern is mould that doesn't belong to the cheese's usual profile, excessive sliminess, unusual pink or orange colouring, or a particularly sharp ammonia smell.

Intensity isn't a defect. An abnormal change is.

Cutting, hygiene and portions: small details that matter

Proper storage begins the moment you cut the cheese.

Use a clean, dry knife and avoid touching the exposed surface with your hands. It may seem like a minor detail, but moisture, traces of other foods and cross-contamination can shorten the life of an artisan cheese.

If you've bought a large wedge, there's no need to cut it all at once. Keeping a larger piece intact helps protect the interior.

Cut only what you expect to eat during the week and store the remainder with its rind and wrapping properly in place.

For a cheese board, serve moderate amounts and replenish when necessary. Repeatedly returning portions that have already been handled and warmed to the refrigerator isn't ideal.

It's also better not to store very different cheeses together without separating them. A soft goat's cheese, a blue cheese and an aged sheep's cheese can share a container provided each is correctly wrapped.

Aromatic purity is one of the great qualities of Spanish artisan cheese, and it deserves to be protected.

What should you do if mould appears?

It depends on both the cheese and the mould.

On a firm aged or semi-aged cheese, a small patch of surface mould doesn't always mean the whole piece needs to be discarded. Cut generously around and beneath the affected area — approximately 2.5 cm / 1 inch is a prudent food-safety reference — using a clean knife, without allowing the blade to touch the mould before cutting into the part you intend to keep. Then replace the wrapping before returning the cheese to the refrigerator.

With fresh, young, grated or very soft cheeses, greater caution is required. Because of their higher moisture content, unwanted mould can spread beyond what is visible. If mould appears that isn't intentionally part of the cheese, the safest option is to discard it.

Don't try to rescue cheese with an abnormally strong ammonia smell, unusual sliminess or that has been left unrefrigerated beyond safe limits.

A premium product also deserves good judgement when deciding whether to serve it.

Serving temperature transforms cheese

Proper storage is only half the story. The other essential step is taking the cheese out of the refrigerator before serving.

Very cold cheese loses expression: its fats remain firm, its aromas are muted and its texture is less generous.

As a general guideline, allow many cheeses to come towards serving temperature for around 30 to 60 minutes, depending on their size, style and room conditions. Small or creamy portions may need less time, while a substantial wedge of aged sheep's cheese may benefit from a little longer.

Keep it covered while it comes to temperature so that it doesn't dry out, and don't place it near a heat source.

For a well-planned tasting, move from the most delicate flavours to the most intense. A mild goat's cheese or young cheese can begin the journey; aged sheep's cheeses can follow; and a powerful blue or creamy torta can provide the finale.

Keep accompaniments simple. Good bread, nuts, quince paste or a carefully selected glass of wine should enhance the cheese, never hide it.

Mistakes that can ruin an excellent cheese

The first is leaving it unwrapped in the refrigerator. Circulating air can harden and crack the cheese and diminish the pleasure of its texture.

The second is keeping it completely airtight for too long, trapping excess moisture that can damage both rind and aroma.

The third is serving it immediately after taking it from the refrigerator, a habit that does a disservice even to some of the world's finest cheeses.

Freezing artisan cheese should also generally be avoided unless there's no practical alternative. Freezing can preserve cheese intended for cooking, but its texture may change after thawing.

For a premium cheese board, an aged wedge or a speciality with protected designation of origin, freezing isn't the best route.

Finally, buying sensible quantities is often the best strategy. An exceptional cheese is at its finest when it reaches the table at the right moment.

At Made in Spain Gourmet, every carefully selected Spanish cheese deserves that attention: less accumulation, more enjoyment and a pantry designed for opening, sharing and remembering.

The next time you cut into a wedge of artisan cheese, store the first piece with the same respect with which you'll serve the last.

That's where a truly Spanish gastronomic experience begins.

AUTOR: Israel Romero, CEO de Made in Spain Gourmet.