Gourmet Cheese

Gourmet cheese is cheese made with specific attention to milk source, production method, and aging — as opposed to commodity cheese produced at industrial scale for maximum yield. The category includes cheeses with protected designation of origin status (DOP, AOP, AOC, PDO), cheeses made from raw or minimally processed milk, farmhouse cheeses made on the same property where the animals are raised, and artisan cheeses produced in small batches using traditional techniques. What makes a cheese gourmet is not price — it is the specificity of its origin and the intention behind how it is made. A properly aged Comté from a mountain cooperative in the Jura, a raw milk cheddar from a single Vermont farm, and a hand-ladled fresh chèvre from a small French producer are all gourmet cheeses in this sense, regardless of price point.

The best online cheese stores are the ones with the broadest selection, direct sourcing relationships with producers, and reliable cold-chain shipping. igourmet has been one of the leading online cheese retailers in the US since 1997, carrying over 550 specialty and artisan cheeses from more than 30 countries. The selection covers every major style, milk type, and region — from French AOC blues and Italian DOP hard cheeses to American farmhouse cheddars and domestic triple creams. Reviews, sourcing notes, and serving guidance are included on every product page. For a curated starting point, the cheese assortments collection brings together cheeses already chosen to complement each other across styles and textures.

Fancy cheese is an informal term for specialty or artisan cheese — cheeses that go beyond the standard cheddar, Swiss, and American slices found in a grocery store dairy aisle. In practice, fancy cheese usually refers to cheeses with visible rinds (bloomy, washed, natural), cheeses made from sheep's or goat's milk, aged cheeses with complex flavor development, and imported European cheeses with regional designations. The distinction is less about price than about production method and flavor complexity. A well-aged Gruyère, a ripe Brie de Meaux, a Spanish Manchego Curado, or a domestic blue from an award-winning American creamery all qualify as fancy cheese in this sense. The igourmet cheese counter carries over 550 of them, organized by style, region, and milk type.

Yes — igourmet ships cheese to all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii. Every perishable order ships in insulated Tempguard packaging with non-toxic gel packs. Standard ground shipping is not available for cheese; all cheese orders require expedited delivery to ensure they arrive at the right temperature. Delivery options — including next-day delivery — are shown at checkout based on destination. Orders placed before 1PM EST on weekdays typically ship the same day. Perishable orders placed after that cutoff on Friday ship the following Monday to avoid sitting in a carrier warehouse over the weekend. For gifting, cheese ships directly to the recipient with a gift message at checkout. The cheese gift baskets and boxes collection has fully assembled options that arrive presentation-ready.

igourmet carries over 550 specialty and artisan cheeses organized by style, region, milk type, and use. By style: blue, Brie and bloomy-rind, cheddar, Gouda, Gruyère and Alpine, Manchego and sheep's milk, raclette, Swiss and fondue, triple cream, washed rind, fresh and chèvre. By region: French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, British, Swiss, German, Scandinavian, Greek, American, and more. By milk type: cow, goat, sheep, buffalo, and mixed milk. By use: cheeses for melting and grilling, cheeses for grating, beginner cheeses, award-winning cheeses, rare and unique cheeses, and whole wheels. The cheese encyclopedia covers the history, characteristics, and pairing suggestions for hundreds of individual varieties.

Regular cheese — the kind found in most grocery store dairy cases — is made at industrial scale using standardized milk, accelerated aging, and production processes optimized for consistency and shelf life. Specialty cheese prioritizes flavor, provenance, and production method over yield and shelf stability. This shows up in several concrete ways: specialty cheeses are often made from milk sourced from specific farms or regions, aged for longer periods under controlled conditions, and made in smaller batches where the cheesemaker can monitor each wheel individually. Many specialty cheeses carry DOP, AOP, or PDO designations — legal certifications that govern exactly where and how the cheese must be made, requiring specific milk breeds, regional production areas, and traditional methods. The flavor difference between a commodity cheddar and a properly aged farmhouse cheddar from a single Vermont farm is as significant as the difference between mass-market wine and a named-vineyard bottle from a respected producer.