Mona is a mixed milk cheese from the same cheesemaker that produces Dante. It’s a blend of sheep and cow’s milk that’s aged for a minimum of 6 months. It’s a semi-firm cheese with a nice flavor. Like Dante, Mona is produced by the Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Cooperative. Between 100 and 400 East Friesian or Lacaune ewes are milked between February and September. The sheep are pasture-fed during the spring and summer. The cheeses themselves are produced by Cedar Grove Cheese in Plain, Wisconsin.
The aroma is very mild, with a hint of toasted nuts, lanolin, and brown butter. The flavor has a salty, buttery taste with some grassy notes, and a rich mouthfeel. Near the rind, the nutty taste is more pronounced, with a more earthy flavor. It would be a nice cheese for a party or cheese plate in one of the milder positions. In parings, it went quite nicely with the Clif Family Climber White Blend, and with Santa Carolina Carminere. It was OK with a Mattabella Chardonnay and the Clif Family Syrah, but wasn’t that great with the Buhler Char or the Santa Carolina Cab.