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The marriage of wine and cheese is always a joyous one, and no where is this more evident than in one of Spain's most intriguing goat cheeses, Murcia al Vino, sometimes lovingly and whimsically translated as "Drunken Goat" due to the practice of washing the cheese in the region's robust red wines. The relatively small region of Murcia is located in southeastern Spain on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Nestled between the regions of Valencia and Andalusia, Murcia is one of Europe's oldest settlements. The city of Cartagena, founded by the Carthagenians before the start of the Christian calendar, was at one time the busiest port on the Mediterranean coast. Sometimes, it is referred to as Spain's market garden because agriculture thrives in its temperate and sunny coastal areas. Here farmers harvest all year-round and supply the whole of Europe with tomatoes, capers, artichokes, fava beans, and so on, as well as figs, olives, and grains, such as their famous Calasparra rice, the only Spanish rice with a protected designation of origin. The farmers use an extensive irrigation system that dates back to the Arab occupation that ended more than 500 years ago. But the region is also home to the Murciano-Granadina breed of goat, the most prolific milk-producing breed in Spain. They are perfectly adapted to the hot, arid mountainous region that they roam looking for the best grazing, and provide milk with excellent fat and protein contents for the making of cheese. About 20 years ago in an attempt to make their cheeses better known to the rest of the country, as well as the world, the cheesemakers began washing the stark white Queso de Murcia in the local red wine, which not only gives the cheese its distinctive color, but also adds a lovely floral aroma and imparts a fruity flavor in the otherwise bland cheese. Not particularly well suited to cooking, Murcia al Vino is a delicious cheese all on its own, and is best when served with nothing more than some crusty bread, a few olives, fresh fruit, and a glass of wine, preferably one of the region's own red varieties, such as those from the D.O. areas of Yecla or Jumilla, although any good, fruity red will accompany it well. Murcia al Vino is made in three sizes — cylinders of about 15 ounces and larger ones at 2.5 and 4.5 pounds. This is a delightful and unique cheese that will surely gain in popularity as it becomes more available here in the U.S.