Cheese of the month – Sinodun Hill

We’re taking a trip to the Carmarthenshire countryside for October’s cheese of the month— Sinodun Hill, a fresh and bright goat’s cheese that has recently found a new home in Wales. 

Sinodun Hill is made by Norton & Yarrow Cheese, set up by Fraser Norton and Rachel Yarrow, who left behind careers in project management and teaching to dive into the world of cheesemaking. They started their business in 2015 as tenant farmers at Earth Trust Farm in Oxfordshire. Earlier this year, they moved production to Pencrug Farm in Carmarthenshire — a larger site with family connections, where Rachel’s parents had worked back in the 1970s.

How it’s made

Sinodun Hill is a fresh, young goat’s cheese, produced in the style of classic French pyramid cheeses like Valençay or Pouligny-Saint-Pierre. The cheese is made in small batches using raw milk from their own herd of Anglo-Nubian goats — a breed known for its rich, sweet milk, with a high fat content, earning them the nickname ‘the Jersey cow of the goat world’.

Like many artisan cheeses, Sinodun Hill is influenced not just by breed and method, but by season — what the goats are eating, the time of year the milk is collected, and how that milk behaves during the cheese-making process. Those subtle shifts are part of what makes artisan cheese so interesting to revisit at different times in the year.

Sinodun Hill is made using traditional methods and aged for 21 days to allow the rind to develop and for the natural flora in the milk to shape the flavour profile. Fraser and Rachel are dedicated to high standards of animal welfare and sustainable farming practices. Their herd has grown to over 250 goats, which are allowed to graze outside during the grazing season between March and October. 

Tasting notes 

Sinodun Hill evolves beautifully over time. When it’s young, the texture is light and moussey, almost whipped. The flavour is clean and citrusy, without the sharp tang that can sometimes divide opinion on goat’s cheese. As it matures, it becomes denser and more fudgy, with mushroomy, nutty notes emerging from the rind.

Food and drink pairings

Sinodun Hill’s versatility shines whether it’s part of a cheeseboard or starring in a dish.

• Bread: Try it with crusty sourdough or a nutty rye cracker.
• Fruit: Pairs beautifully with ripe figs, poached pear, or a spoonful of quince jelly.
• Honey: A drizzle of wildflower or acacia honey amplifies the creamy tang.

For drinks pairings, you’ll want something crisp and clean to complement its gentle acidity and complex rind:

• White Wine: Sauvignon Blanc, especially from the Loire Valley, or a dry Chenin Blanc.
• Sparkling: English sparkling wine or a dry Crémant, the bubbles help to cut through the cheese’s richness. 
• Cider: A lightly sparkling dry cider or perry can be an excellent, subtly fruity match.
• Non-Alcoholic: Elderflower pressé or pressed apple juice.

Also, don’t be afraid to cook with it. It’s great crumbled over roasted beetroot, folded into an omelette, or spread onto thin slices of toasted baguette. The photo below shows a recipe I made recently with crushed peas, lemon zest and a few edible flowers from the garden.

Toasted baguette with Sinodun Hill, crushed peas, lemon zest, oregano leaves, borage and chamomile flowers.

Key facts

• Milk: Raw (unpasteurised) goat’s milk.
• Rennet: Vegetarian rennet – from the cardoon thistle. 
• Style: Lactic-set, soft-ripened.
• Made by: Norton & Yarrow Dairy, Carmarthenshire. 
• Best eaten: When the cheese is young, but leave it a week or two and the flavour gets deeper and more complex.

Final thoughts

Whether you’re a seasoned goat’s cheese fan or just dipping your toes into the world of artisan cheese, Sinodun Hill is easy to pair and great to cook with. It holds its own without overpowering the rest of the cheeseboard. If you’re not usually a fan of goat’s cheese, this one might just change your mind.

🧀✨ Let me know if you’ve tried it — or if you’ve found your own perfect pairing.