Didn't to me. I don't like goofy-flavored things. I don't want vanilla syrup in my coffee or peaches in my tea--those embellishments, to my mind, are all about making coffee and tea palatable to the kind of person who doesn't like either straight. So I didn't think much differently when I was at a food and wine fair put on by a local grocer last week and, starving, approached the closest food table that wasn't ten people deep. My heart kind of sank when I saw that all the cheeses had flavored washed-rind coatings on them like balsamic, raspberry, merlot and espresso, but hey, I was starving, so I tried them.
The core cheese is the same in each case, texture smoothly-firm like a 12 month gouda and tangy like a parmesan but with a nutty finish that's also gouda-like. The cheeses are made in Wisconsin and the company name is Sartori (where BellaVitano is the name for this product line). To my complete and total surprise, where the other flavors were just 'eh', especially the raspberry, the espresso-rinded cheese was divine. There was a harmony between the cheese and the strong coffee flavor I would not have expected. And it was great with a glass of cabernet.
Highly reccomended!
