Hard

Often aged for years, hard cheeses have characteristically crystalline texture formed by amino acids breaking down protein during the aging process. The denatured proteins give hard cheeses a grainy and crunchy texture; however, the taste is usually very deep because it is allowed to mature for a very long time.

Because the ripening process is typically very long, the cheese maker needs to use the highest quality ingredients and have access to climate-controlled high-salt (dry) aging facilities. That being said, it is accurate to compare hard cheeses to aged fine wine as John (no relation to me) did in his blog John on food. The process requires a lot of resources and know-how, as well as, a ton of patience.