From mozzarella and feta to gouda, Brie and swiss, cheese has always been one of my favorite foods. Strangely enough, in all my years of eating cheese, I haven’t tried very many made from goat’s milk. So today’s tasting was something I’d been looking forward to since the beginning of the tour.
After a scenic drive through even more stunning countryside, we arrived at La Ferme des Monteyx, a small hillside farm nestled in the heart of the Dordogne Valley. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by a few of the more inquisitive members of the resident herd of alpacas who followed us as we walked down the drive to the farm house. We also had a chance to meet the goats before settling into our tasting—they were quite the characters!
Known for its signature tartness, goat cheese, or chèvre, is best enjoyed with fruity white wines. I opted to eat mine paired with a rosé instead, which I thought tasted great. The varieties that we tried today were soft and served to us at room temperature, a practice typical of the region. The more creamy of these we ate with thin slices of baguette. A few had rinds which were reminiscent of Brie, and these we ate using toothpicks. Others had a type of jam or preserves on top, which was a nice complement to the distinct flavor of the cheese.
To me though, the most important detail was that they were all delicious!
Have you ever gone on a cheese tasting? Learn more about our Food & Wine tours to have your very own experience trying goat cheese on tour.
