I love a good manchego, but my recent go-to cheese for entertaining guests (particularly those with timid palates) is a Spanish Idiazabal.
Idiazabal con membrillo
A sheep’s milk cheese that is lightly smoked for 1o days, it is firm, oily (in a good way) and flavorful without being overpowering. It hails from the Basque region and Artisanal Cheese recommends pairing with a full-bodied red wine from Navarra, which, coincidentally, is a budget-friendly choice as well. Because I was tasting bargain bubblies, and served this before our Hanukkah dinner, I sampled it with the Tarantas cava which was fruity enough to bring out the subtle smoky, grassy flavor of the cheese.
My favorite chef Jose Andres includes a recipe for rosemary-marinated Idiazabal in his book Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America. I have not yet tried Lima here in D.C., but they include Idiazabal on their Spanish cheese plate.
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