La Serena is a sheep's milk cheese hailing from the Extremadura region of Spain and has been name-protected with DO status since 1992. Serena is rich and creamy and combines a gentle bitterness that is balanced with an earthy, pungent flavor. As the cheese ages, its rind becomes leathery and the interior ripens to a soft, smooth, spreadable paste. Like many Spanish and Portuguese cheeses, Serena is a terrific party cheese and can be served by the wheel with a hole cut in the top and crusty peasant bread for dipping. Versatile with drier crisp whites, this cheese also pairs nicely with most soft to medium-bodied red wines.
