Rogue River Blue

Rogue Creamery in Oregon makes several amazing blue cheeses, including Oregon Blue and Smokey Blue. However, their crown jewel is Rogue River Blue. Rogue River is made from all Brown Swiss and Holstein cow's milk that is certified sustainable. This cheese is completely seasonable, being produced only during the autumnal equinox and winter solstice, aged, and then usually released during the month of September.

The flavor of Rogue River Blue is sweet, creamy, and complex. The wheels vary to some degree because the cheese expresses the terroir of the Rogue River Valley in Oregon. The cows graze on grass, herbs, and wildflowers, supplemented by some hay and grain grown at the ranch. Then, rather than inoculating the five pound wheels with P. roqueforti (the Roquefort mold that is most commonly used to create the bluing in blue cheeses), the cheesemakers age the Rogue River in caves made to resemble those in France that are used for the aging of Roquefort. This aging exposes the wheels to naturally occurring molds from the Rogue River Valley.

As the final touch, the wheels are wrapped in Oregon-grown Merlot and Syrah grape leaves which have been macerated in Clear Creek Pear Brandy. This wrapping influences the character of the cheese, giving it a softer texture and a juicier, sweeter, fruitier flavor.


Rogue River Blue has won several awards, notably Best Blue Cheese and Best American Cheese at the World Cheese Awards in London.

We have managed to acquire several wheels of this great but hard-to-find Oregon cheese. Call us, check out the website, or come on down to the shop to try a taste of it yourself!