Best cheese in the world in 2019
Rogue River Blue is a seasonal cheese made by Rogue Creamery in Oregon, USA. It is brought to us in Australia by Will Studd.
This truly original blue cheese was the first American cheese to be named World Champion Cheese at the World Cheese Awards in Italy in October 2019.
A co-op founded in 1933
In 1933, an enterprising entrepreneur from Portland, Oregon, founded the Rogue River Valley Co-op. In collaboration with the community of Central Point, they built Southern Oregon’s first artisan creamery cooperative. Overall, their goal was to help local dairy farmers make ends meet during the Great Depression.
Unsurprisingly, the Rogue Valley proved to be a particularly effective area for rearing dairy cows. In addition to this, their milk was ideal for cheesemaking due to the area’s great soil and plentiful water.
Soon after, two “cheese giants” took note, including Tom Vella, the famed cheesemaker. Over the years, he and his partner turned the little cooperative into a successful cheese manufacturing.
Learning from “The Godfather”
In 1998, Ignazio “Ig” Vella took over Rogue Creamery from his father, Tom. From the beginning, he preached the significance of artisan products and was dubbed “The Godfather of Artisan Cheese”.
After many decades of family ownership, Ig thought it was time to sell Rogue Creamery. Around the same time, he met local entrepreneur David Gremmels.
Actually, David had been looking for local cheese to use in a wine bar he was planning to open in Ashland, Oregon.
David Gremmels’s dream
In 2002, David took a tour of the Creamery with Ig. During the visit, he learned that they shared a great appreciation for the art and heritage of artisan cheesemaking. Subsequently, David agreed to buy the Creamery from the Vella family with the help of a partner.
Moreover, David Gremmels wanted to make a new blue cheese that celebrated Oregon’s lush Rogue Valley. Hence was born Rogue River Blue.
A truly original cheese
In order to make this cheese, he started ageing the best blue cheese wheels for months. Furthermore, he would make those select wheels exclusively with the sweet and rich cow milk produced in autumn.
Once the curd has set, they cover the wheels of cheese in spring-harvested Syrah grape leaves soaked in pear liqueur. Afterwards, the affineur looks after each individual wheel for up to 11 months.
During this time, the cheese continued to mature while absorbing the characteristics of the leaves. Eventually, they are made available for purchase around the Autumnal Equinox in the northern hemisphere.
Fudgy goodness
The end result is a stunning cheese where the grape leaves wrap around a cream-coloured pâte with a spattering of blue mould. The texture is fudgy and rich and the aroma is reminiscent of pear eau-de-vie.
On the palate, there is an explosion of flavour which ranges from pear brandy to truffle with notes of toffee, blackberry, vanilla, hazelnut, chocolate and bacon.
How to pair Rogue River Blue
Whilst this cheese is good enough to eat on its own, you can definitely also pair it with a range of beverages.
Enjoy with a dark Belgian Ale or a glass of Scotch Whisky. This blue will also pair beautifully with a Viognier, Gewürztraminer or Sauternes.
