Goats have been around forever—even longer than cows—and easily adapt to many environments so many types of goat cheeses are produced. Current styles include as soft, washed, blue, gouda and cheddar.
Since there can be so much fun variation in the goat cheese arena, I sat down with Kathleen Serino, Murray’s Cheese New York City-based senior manager of training and curriculum to get the low down on their flavors and wine synergies. All responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.
Liza B. Zimmerman: Can you talk to me about the wide range of goat cheeses that are produced in the world?
Kathleen Serino (K.S.): Goats have been raised for dairy production for millennia and are flavorful milk producers. The possibilities are countless when it comes to cheeses made with goat milk.
L.B.Z.: How do these cheeses differ in smell, size and flavor and structure?
K.S.: Expected sensory characteristics vary by the cheese style. A fresh goat cheese should be bright white, have a smooth mouthfeel, grassy notes, pleasant citrusy flavor, but is not too sour. Aged goat cheeses have a level of sweetness, but the texture would vary by the cheese style.
L.B.Z.: How different are goat cheeses from country to country?
K.S.: Goat cheeses vary widely depending on their country of origin. Indigenous breeds, climates, environments and elevations, thus the flavor of the milk is different! What’s exciting is that goat’s milk picks up pronounced flavors from the plants they eat. When left out in nature, goats are built to easily reach and pluck out the plants they crave – especially wild or native plants, or even invasive weeds. Also, some high-volume producers feed their goats preserved fresh forage to maintain the signature aromatic and flavor quality in their cheese.
L.B.Z.: Are they best before, during or after a meal?
K.S.: I suppose that it really depends on where in the world you dine! In my experience, the cheese course comes first in the U.S. and is more of grazing board with charcuterie and fun accompaniments. In Italy, I have enjoyed goat cheese as part of a big lunch and in France pretty much all cheese would be served after the meal. In Greece, it is not uncommon to be served feta for breakfast.
L.B.Z.:What types of wine pair with goat cheese?
Fresh chevre and wines of Provence in Southern France, especially rosés, are a classic terroir-driven pairing. There is an herbaceous quality to these wines and a Vermont Creamery fresh or herb goat log is a fantastic pairing.
Wines from the French island of Corsica are great with aged cheeses with a lot of complexity. This is an island where famous goat cheeses are made and its wines are fruity and smooth. Sparkling white wines and Riesling are also very nice with soft and runny types.
L.B.Z.: Does the theory of what grows together goes together also apply to goat cheese?
K.S.: It’s a great way to approach pairing; I agree that “tasting the region” can be magical and it is how Europeans have been doing it for ages.
L.B.Z.: How is an ideal wine pairing affected by how the cheese is served? Alone, with fruit or hot or cold?
I always encourage tasting cheese at the right temperature. Let the cheese sit out for at least 20 minutes before serving. If you are geeking out on a pairing, then you should take a bite of the cheese and follow it with a sip of wine to determine how they interact with one another.
L.B.Z.: Can you delve into how other ingredients like acid from vinegar or fruit might affect the pairing?
K.S.: There are acids in both wine and cheese. There is also acid in fruit. You can pair them as similar or opposite flavors to find a home-run pairing. Usually with fresh goat cheese, the acidity is prominent, so trying a high-acid white wine with it makes for a great pairing because they have flavor synergies.