Delicate California goat cheese with bright citrus and a soft bloomy rind.
Andante Dairy Pianoforte, a delicate California bloomy-rind goat cheese with a bright lactic tang and soft mushroomy finish. Order online.
We’ll keep track of cheeses you love and send you new finds that match your taste.
By saving, you agree to receive curated emails from The Cheese Store. Unsubscribe anytime.
Already have an account? Sign in for a faster experience →
You’ll hear from us when we find more like this one.
This is Pianoforte from Andante Dairy, a small California dairy in Petaluma making goat's milk cheeses named after musical terms. Pianoforte is a pasteurized goat's milk bloomy rind, a little disk aged just a few weeks so the paste keeps a fresh, lactic character right up against a soft white rind.
The texture is soft and yielding, with a chalky center giving way to a cream line just under the rind as the cheese ripens. On the palate, you get a bright, fresh goat's milk tang, clean and citrusy on the front, then a whisper of mushroom and butter from the bloomy jacket. Nothing loud, nothing barnyardy, just really delicate and precise.
Soyoung Scanlan is the cheesemaker at Andante, and everything she does is small-batch and hand-turned. Pianoforte is a great example of what California artisan goat cheese can be when the maker is chasing elegance over intensity, right in the sweet spot between fresh and ripened.
Soft and yielding under the knife with a delicate bloomy jacket, the paste breaks between chalky-center and cream-line near the rind as it ripens.
Gentle and refined, a clean goaty lactic note up front with a soft floral lift from the bloomy rind — mild but full of character.
A clean, short finish that fades into fresh cream and a whisper of citrus, leaving the palate ready for the next bite.
Bright fresh-milk tang, like yogurt strained through cheesecloth — the young goat's milk sings on the front of the tongue.
A quiet browned-cream note near the rind, more soft butter than toasted nut.
A gentle white-mushroom lift from the bloomy rind, clean forest-floor rather than barnyardy.
No heat, no piquant bite — this is a delicate cheese from start to finish.
Bloomy rind
The bloomy white rind adds a soft mushroomy, buttery character that frames the lactic tang of the paste without overpowering it.
Pianoforte stands on its own, but the right partners turn a wedge into a moment. Regional pairings first — they were built for each other.
Bright, high-acid wines echo the fresh goat lactic tang and lift the delicate bloomy rind. A dry sparkler cuts through the creaminess of the ripened cream line.
Floral honeys and delicate fruit lean into the cheese's soft citrus and cream character without overwhelming a lighter goat's milk paste.
Real reviews from The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills Google Business Profile. Curated by Dom and his team since 1967.
Domenico and his team are fantastic. I’m a chef and I often get my supplies from The Cheese Store — unique products, carefully selected, from top Italian and French cheeses to excellent local ones.
Absolutely loved the cheese store! Everyone was super helpful and friendly. Lena helped us — she was very knowledgeable on all the cheeses: where they came from, what the region is like, what they are known for. It was like wine tasting for cheese.
Ordered several cheeses from them and the wrong items were delivered. Contacted the store and they recognized the error and immediately sent the correct order the next day without any fuss. Really appreciate the promptness and professionalism.
Carefully packaged and shipped from our Beverly Hills shop.
Add to Cart →Ships nationwide
