The calendar says summer is imminent (the weather says it’s here) and I’m already lightening up. More salads, more Muga rosé and definitely some fresher, lighter cheeses on the table. Mozzarella and burrata, of course, but what I really crave in summer is the lively, lemony tang of fresh goat cheese. Sometimes I warm it until it’s as soft as custard. Or I spiff it up it with fruity olive oil and chopped thyme or pink peppercorns. I recently found a new fresh goat cheese to love (it’s Italian) and reacquainted myself with another favorite from France that smells like a hillside in Provence.

CasArrigoni’s Robiola Caprino (above) tastes like no goat cheese I’ve ever had. The company’s website describes it as crumbly but maybe that’s before it gets on a plane. What I bought was possibly the creamiest chèvre I’ve ever tasted, moist and delicate, with no chalkiness whatsoever. The log sliced neatly without crumbling and the cheese felt like silk on my tongue. The flavor is gentle and mild, subtly lactic but not goaty.

As you can see from the image, this rindless robiola is formed into mini logs, not quite 3 ounces each. Getting it to the U.S. (much less California, where I live) in good condition is a feat of careful packaging. My robiola tasted like it was made yesterday. The logs are individually wrapped in paper to absorb moisture, then packed in pairs in sealed trays. Once you breach the package, use the cheese quickly—ideally within a couple of days.

CasArrigoni is a 45-year-old family firm in Italy’s Val Taleggio, just north of Bergamo. They are both a producer and an affineur, aging the cheeses of other Lombardy producers in their caves. You will have an easier time finding the firm’s Taleggio and Gorgonzola than the short-lived robiola. I purchased Robiola Caprino at Market Hall Foods in Oakland but I haven’t succeeded in finding other retail sources, and the local distributor is oddly unhelpful. An East Coast importer told me he hopes to have it in the future; it must travel by air, which is a hurdle.

In the meantime, don’t overlook the lovely Fleur Verte this summer. I see it regularly at Whole Foods so that’s an easy one. The cloak of tarragon, thyme and pink peppercorns perfumes the interior and sends me to the fridge for a bottle of rosé. Spread this soft cheese on crostini with fresh or sun-dried tomatoes, or serve with a cucumber or green bean salad. And what a perfect choice to fold into an omelette.

A good merchant should have several fresh goat, cow and sheep cheeses for summer cheese boards and salads. Keep an eye out for these, all of them high on my go-to list in warm weather.