Main Ridge Dairy Capriole | Mornington Peninsula, VIC | Goat’s Milk | Soft-Ripened
apriole is Main Ridge Dairy’s signature soft goat’s cheese—made by hand on the Mornington Peninsula from milk collected metres from the make room. It’s a bloomy-rinded, lactic-set round with a fine white coat and a bright, lemony core. Young, it’s chalky and restrained. A few days later, the curd relaxes beneath the rind into something silky, tangy, and vegetal, like warm cream touched with fresh hay and citrus.
Capriole is named for the playful leap of a goat—and that’s exactly what it delivers: a clean, fresh arc of flavour, rising sharp and finishing smooth. A true Victorian farmhouse cheese.
apriole is Main Ridge Dairy’s signature soft goat’s cheese—made by hand on the Mornington Peninsula from milk collected metres from the make room. It’s a bloomy-rinded, lactic-set round with a fine white coat and a bright, lemony core. Young, it’s chalky and restrained. A few days later, the curd relaxes beneath the rind into something silky, tangy, and vegetal, like warm cream touched with fresh hay and citrus.
Capriole is named for the playful leap of a goat—and that’s exactly what it delivers: a clean, fresh arc of flavour, rising sharp and finishing smooth. A true Victorian farmhouse cheese.
apriole is Main Ridge Dairy’s signature soft goat’s cheese—made by hand on the Mornington Peninsula from milk collected metres from the make room. It’s a bloomy-rinded, lactic-set round with a fine white coat and a bright, lemony core. Young, it’s chalky and restrained. A few days later, the curd relaxes beneath the rind into something silky, tangy, and vegetal, like warm cream touched with fresh hay and citrus.
Capriole is named for the playful leap of a goat—and that’s exactly what it delivers: a clean, fresh arc of flavour, rising sharp and finishing smooth. A true Victorian farmhouse cheese.
Origin: Main Ridge, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia
Milk: Pasteurised goat’s milk (single herd)
Rind: Bloomy white mould (Penicillium camemberti), edible
Weight: ~150g individual round
Style: Lactic-set, soft-ripened goat’s cheese
Texture: Young: chalky and firm; ripened: creamy under rind
Maturation: 10–14 days
Shape: Small cylinder, flat sides, thin bloomy coat
What It Is
Capriole is a soft-ripened goat’s milk cheese made by Main Ridge Dairy—Victoria’s original farmhouse goat dairy. The cheese is produced entirely on-farm: milked, made, matured, and packed by hand from a single herd of goats that graze the lush coastal foothills of the Mornington Peninsula.
This is a lactic-set cheese, meaning acid does most of the curdling work, not rennet. The result is a slow, gentle coagulation that retains moisture and freshness, especially in goat’s milk where natural acidity and short-chain fats dominate. As Capriole ripens, the white mould rind begins to break down the paste beneath it—proteolysis moves inward, creating a creamy underlayer while the core remains bright and chalky.
The name "Capriole" refers to the joyful leap of a goat—and this cheese reflects that spirit: fresh, agile, and full of character without aggression.
Taste and Texture
Rind: Thin, velvety, and edible. Brings mushroom notes and helps ripen the paste beneath.
Paste: Starts firm, bright white, and slightly crumbly. With age, softens just under the rind to a creamy, mousse-like texture.
Flavour Profile:
Fresh goat milk: lactic, tangy, bright
Green hay and lemon zest
Mild mushroom and white pepper from the rind
Hints of fresh herbs, raw almond, and cultured cream
This is a young cheese by design—expressing the purity of milk rather than long aging. The fat and protein structure of goat’s milk, combined with low intervention affinage, gives Capriole its clean, focused finish.
Pairing Logic
Capriole is light, tangy, and creamy—perfect with acidity, florals, or mild sweetness.
Classic Pairings:
Dry rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, or Vermentino
Belgian-style wheat beer or light saison
Honeycomb, strawberries, or citrus marmalade
Walnuts, watercress, or young radish
Non-alcoholic:
Sparkling apple juice or pear shrub
Iced jasmine tea or lemon verbena infusion
Kombucha with green tea or ginger
Cucumber-mint cordial
Avoid: heavily oaked wines, tannic reds, or bitter dark beers—they clash with the clean acidity and delicate texture.
Serving Guidance
Bring to room temperature 30–45 minutes before serving. Young Capriole slices cleanly; older rounds can be spooned from the rind.
Ideal with crusty sourdough, seeded crackers, or fruit toast. For a fresh dish, crumble over salad with soft herbs, citrus segments, and toasted seeds.
Storage
Keep wrapped in original paper or breathable cheese wrap. Store in a sealed container in the fridge. Best eaten within 7–10 days of purchase. If rind darkens or paste slumps, it’s ripening—taste before judging. Avoid freezing.
Waste-Conscious Use
Whip with cream or yoghurt as a soft spread
Crumble into an omelette with garden herbs
Blend into vinaigrettes or compound butters
Fold through warm lentils or roast beetroot
Use soft-ripened ends in a tart filling or baked pasta
Capriole is milk made immediate. No distance. No delay. Just pasture, hands, and time—measured in days, not months. A clean, confident expression of place.