Wooly Wooly - We All Call for Soft Sheep's Milk Cheese

When anyone mentions cheese from Spain, Manchego usually comes to mind. It's one of the more popular cheeses from Southwestern Europe, but Mediterranean Europe is filled with countless dairy gems, from high-fat butter (even though olive oil is more traditional here) to hard cheese and everything in between. 

Photo by Sam Carter

With an eye-catching label, I thought Wooly Wooly soft sheep’s milk cheese might be among these prizes. It comes from Jumilla, Spain, an area known for its high-altitude vineyards and its incredibly old historical sites. Some archaeological findings suggest evidence of human inhabitants in this area dating as far back as the Stone Age. It’s not surprising that sheep tend to fare better than cows in the dry summers and on the rocky terrain in southern Spain. As a result, sheep’s milk cheese is more abundant, though mixing milk to produce cheese isn’t unheard of in this area. 

The cute, fat sheep made me buy this cheese

Many compare this Wooly Wooly to a soft goat cheese, which is accurate when considering the appearance. As smooth, creamy, and mild as this log of cheese looks, you're in for an unexpected ride. Despite being a soft cheese, it's slightly drier than most soft goat cheese, and, compared to another soft-style cheese, it's neither as sweet as cream cheese nor as creamy. It's rather crumbly, to be honest. 

The texture is a little dry but still creamy

The aroma is reminiscent of cream cheese, but the mild odor shouldn't fool you. There's a decent amount of flavor in this pearly white barrel. Wooly Wooly has a Pomeranian-sized bite and wants to smack you in the palate, even though it's not quite strong enough to do so. It reminds me of a petite jeunne fille who punches people a little too hard in the arm when it's meant to be all in good fun... but maybe not quite. There's a sting, but it's minor, more amusing than attention-grabbing.

Wooly Wooly's mild but notable sharpness is from pure sheep's milk. Lacking are the gamey and tangy notes of goat cheese and the mild but slightly sour notes of cream cheese made with cow's milk. Because it's not as sweet, the soft sheep's milk cheese ends up sharp and crisp but lacks depth. It's interesting but has a lingering bitter aftertaste that's not exactly unpleasant, but it's not as satisfying as a lingering sweet or neutral note. 

Sadly, as much as I wanted to love this cheese, it's just OK. The label is very cute, but the cheese itself is not as appealing as other soft cheeses that have deeper sweet, earthy, tangy, or pungent flavors. Still, I wouldn't avoid Wooly Wooly. It just wouldn't be my top pick.

Wooly Wooly pairs well with black olives.

As far as pairing Wooly Wooly, stick to light crackers, traditional crusty white bread, or toasted bagels. Rye crackers are a rough combination, and the strong flavors of rye compete with those of this particular cheese. The rye seems to draw out the bitterness of the cheese. However, a sweeter rye bread isn't a problem. In fact, Wooly Wooly couples well with many sweet items. I actually prefer sweet pairings with Wooly Wooly -- jams, dried cherries or figs, candied pecans, or poached peaches. 

Black olives, prosciutto, crostini, marcona almonds, and cotton candy grapes with Wooly Wooly on a cheese board make a wonderful centerpiece at a cocktail party. This cheese can also be used in baked and hot dishes. I used it in a noodle dish, but because of the bitter aftertaste, I regret not adding caramelized onions or even a drop of honey to the pot. The soft sheep's milk product is a great addition to salads, especially a mixed berry and spinach salad with raspberry vinaigrette. Blistered tomatoes on toasted baguette slices with garlic, olive oil, some Wooly Wooly, and a dash of salt and pepper make a nice appetizer. 

For beverages, serve Wooly Wooly with Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Gavi, Merlot or a Merlot blend, Tempranillo, Amarone Della, or a sparkling wine such as Cremant. As far as beer options, a pilsner or blonde ale would be ideal. 

Image by Cody Chan 

                                                       No rubs or tastes from Bruce for this cheese