It’s one of the most sought-after small cheese producers in the country and will be headlining the Mould Cheese Festival in June.
Section28 is small artisan producer in Woodside in the Adelaide Hills producing European-style alpine cheeses that reflect their South Australian terroir.
This small collection of 10 hard, semi-hard and washed rind cows’ milk cheeses, some made with raw milk, are hand-crafted by former investment banker Kym Masters and have earned cult status among lovers of the curd.
Masters’ cheeses are truly seasonal; his dried petal-covered La Primavera, for example, is only made during the eight weeks of spring when the native grasses on which the Friesian/Holstein cows graze are in flower.
“Forty per cent of my work is done in the dairy,” says Masters, who founded the cheesery in 2015.
“My job is to nurture the beautiful milk from our neighbours to make cheeses that tell a story about the Adelaide Hills throughout the seasons.”
Masters worked in finance for 20 years until the urge to make something with his hands became overwhelming. He moved to France and worked with French cheesemakers to learn their art.
‘My job is to nurture the beautiful milk from our neighbours to make cheeses that tell a story about the Adelaide Hills throughout the seasons.’
Cheesemaker Kym Masters
Section28’s raw milk flagship is Monforte, similar to the French semi-hard cheese Abondance. It has beautiful complex milky notes, with hints of pasture, ripe apple and pear, and a sweetness that gives way to brothy umami flavours.
Its sister cheese is Mont Priscilla, a semi-soft washed rind cheese with a fine line of ash, a nod to the French Morbier, and has been made with extreme care to retain the aroma of freshly cut hay, a nuance passed through the milk by the herd. Buttery and smooth on the mouth, it finishes with a subtle tang of citrus.
Section28 cheeses are carefully aged in temperature-controlled “caves” for up to 15 months and make an excellent addition to a cheeseboard.
The Raclette was made to be melted and poured over steamed potatoes while the Monte Rosso, a taleggio-style cheese, adds creamy richness to pasta dishes.
The cheeses are served at more than 60 restaurants, including Taxi in Melbourne and Margaret and Bentley in Sydney, and sold at Victorian cheesemongers, including Cheese Monger Sophie in Healesville, Wildlife Bakery in Brunswick and Super Cheese in Richmond.
In NSW, Section28 cheeses are available at Cheese etc in Bowral, Mosman’s Fourth Village Providore, Three Blind Mice in Mascot, Penny’s Cheese Shop at Potts Point and Manly’s The Artisan Cheese Room.
