About Queijo Terrincho Velho

The aged version of Queijo Terrincho DOP, cured for at least 90 days. The specification describes a hard rind, red and sometimes wrinkled, from being rubbed with a paste of paprika extracted in bagaceira brandy or in olive oil; the cheese may also be dipped in olive oil. It is smaller than the young cheese: 10 to 18 cm across, 2 to 6 cm high, 0.5 to 1.0 kg. The paste is hard, close-textured and yellowish, with a few eyes. It falls under the same protected designation of origin as the young cheese, registered in the EU as Queijo Terrincho in 1996.

Made in: Mogadouro, Alfândega da Fé, Torre de Moncorvo, Freixo de Espada à Cinta, Mirandela, Vila Flor, Carrazeda de Ansiães and Vila Nova de Foz Côa, most of Macedo de Cavaleiros and São João da Pesqueira, and parts of Valpaços, Meda and Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, in the Terra Quente and the Douro Superior (districts of Bragança, Vila Real, Viseu and Guarda)

On the plate

Strong and intense, with a balanced mixture of distinctive aromas, according to the specification. The paste is hard and only slightly unctuous, much firmer than the young Terrincho.

Rind: natural crust

Wine and cheese

What to pour with Queijo Terrincho Velho

10 Year Old Tawny Port Douro Valley

Our pick

The Velho is hard, strong and yellowish, with a rind rubbed with a paprika paste. A ten-year tawny is nutty and mellow, and its sweetness softens that strength; the wine records pair these tawnies with aged cheese.

4.4 Taylor's 10 Year Old Tawny Taylor's Port 4.4 Graham's 10 Year Old Tawny Graham's Port 4.3 Calem 10 Year Old Tawny Calem 4.1 Royal Oporto 10 Year Old Tawny Real Companhia Velha

20 Year Old Tawny Port Douro Valley

Our pick

The Velho is hard and strong, with a rind rubbed in paprika paste. A twenty-year tawny brings concentrated dried fruit and nuts with a long finish, enough concentration to stand beside it; the wine records pair these tawnies with aged cheese.

4.7 Taylor's 20 Year Old Tawny Taylor's Port 4.5 Fonseca 20 Year Old Tawny Fonseca Porto 4.7 Graham's 20 Year Old Tawny Graham's Port 4.5 Dow's 20 Year Old Tawny Dow's Port

Full-bodied Douro red Douro Valley

Our pick

The Velho is hard and firm with a strong flavour and a paprika-rubbed rind, so it needs structure. These dry Douro reds are full-bodied with firm tannin and high acidity, which hold their own against it.

5.0 Barca Velha Ferreira 4.7 Niepoort Batuta Niepoort 4.8 Quinta do Crasto Vinha Maria Teresa Quinta do Crasto 4.6 Quinta do Crasto Reserva Old Vines Quinta do Crasto

Late Bottled Vintage Port Douro Valley

Our pick

The Velho is hard and strong. A Late Bottled Vintage is wood-aged, black-fruited and ready to drink, its sweetness balancing a sharp aged cheese; the wine records pair these LBVs with mature cheddar.

4.5 Taylor's Late Bottled Vintage Taylor's Port 4.4 Fonseca Late Bottled Vintage Fonseca Porto 4.3 Graham's Late Bottled Vintage Graham's Port 4.3 Dow's Late Bottled Vintage Dow's Port

Vintage Port Douro Valley

Our pick

The Velho is a hard, strong aged sheep's cheese. Vintage Port is sweet, black-fruited and firmly structured, and a fortified red of that weight beside a firm aged cheese is a classic structure match: the sweetness meets the strength and the tannin meets the firm paste.

4.9 Taylor's Vintage Port Taylor's Port 4.8 Fonseca Vintage Port Fonseca Porto 4.8 Graham's Vintage Port Graham's Port 4.8 Dow's Vintage Port Dow's Port

Reserve ruby Port Douro Valley

Our pick

The Velho is a hard, strong aged sheep's cheese with a paprika-rubbed rind. A reserve ruby is a rich, smooth, fruit-forward fortified red, and that sweetness and body are a classic match for a firm aged cheese of this strength.

4.1 Taylor's First Estate Reserve Taylor's Port 4.3 Fonseca Bin 27 Fonseca Porto 4.3 Fonseca Terra Prima Organic Reserve Fonseca Porto 4.4 Graham's Six Grapes Reserve Graham's Port

The grapes behind these winesTouriga NacionalTouriga Franca

From the source

Where to buy and taste it

Queijaria Amaral

Cheese shop Santo Ildefonso, Porto

Cheese shop in Rua de Santo Ildefonso, Porto, trading since 1928 by its own account. Serra da Estrela is its specialty. Its online shop lists an aged Terrincho, marked coming soon in October 2026.

Queijaria do Bolhão

Cheese shop Mercado do Bolhão, Porto

Cheese stall in the Mercado do Bolhão, Porto, trading for more than 40 years by the market's account. It sells Serra da Estrela, Azeitão and island cheeses, artisanal yoghurt and requeijão.

Queijo Terrincho Velho: questions

What is the difference between Terrincho and Terrincho Velho?

Velho is aged for at least 90 days instead of 30. The specification gives it a hard, red rind, a hard yellowish paste, a smaller size (0.5 to 1.0 kg, 10 to 18 cm across) and a strong, intense flavour.

Why is the rind red?

The specification says the cheese is rubbed with a paste of paprika extracted in bagaceira brandy or in olive oil, and may also be dipped in olive oil.

How is it kept while it ages?

At 8 to 14 degrees C and 75 to 85 percent relative humidity, for a minimum of 90 days, according to the 2016 DOP specification.

Same cheeseboard

More cheeses from Douro Valley

Douro Valley wine and cheese pairings
Queijo de Cabra Transmontano Queijo Terrincho

Plan the trip

Visit Queijo Terrincho Velho country

Tastings and tours where it is made, and somewhere to stay.

Booking links go to our partners (GetYourGuide, Viator, Zen Hotels), who may pay us a commission. It never decides what we cover. Editorial standards.

Sources: protection register, tradicional.dgadr.gov.pt, eur-lex.europa.eu. The drawing is made from the cheese's recorded shape, rind and paste, not a photograph.

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