Applewood Smoked Goat Cheddar

Im still finishing up the Cline Zinfandel from a few nights ago... I've had a cold and wine is almost a waste when you cant smell it so its going slow. The last time I went to Whole Foods I discovered something amazing - mini cheeses! There is a part of the cheese section where you can buy small pieces of cheeses just a few ounces at a time. All these cheeses are under $3, which is great for trying lots of different cheeses and not getting tired of them! I foresee a lot more cheese tasting in my future. To kick off this new discovery, I had to get a few. Because I am still finishing up my zinfandel, I decided to try the applewood smoked goat cheddar they had. Im still not sure exactly what "goat cheddar" is, as I thought cheddar was just a type of cheese made from cows, but apparently it exists - and is quite delicious!

Oddly enough, I didn't think this cheese actually tasted like cheddar. Its kind of dry, and is more reminiscent of a gouda. I was a bit wary of the "smoked" aspect, as this can sometimes taste fake, but I thought this was a subtle smokiness that went very well with the wine. I enjoyed this cheese, but it wasn't fantastic. However, I like how there seem to be goat counterparts to some of the more familiar cheeses - I would definitely like to check out more of these in the future.