Rogue Creamery has been crafting handcrafted blue cheese in Southern Oregon’s Rogue River Valley since it was established by Tom Vella in the 1930s. Inspired by the region’s beauty and flavors, Rogue Creamery earned international acclaim for its blues, made from milk sourced from a nearby dairy along the scenic Rogue River. After World War II, Tom expanded into blue cheese, travelling to Roquefort, France in the 1950s to learn from the best which resulted in the creation of Oregon Blue in the 1950s with his son Ig.

In 2002, David Gremmels and Cary Bryant took the helm, and holding on to the principles laid out by Tom and Ig Vella, won numerous trophies and awards, including World’s Best Blue Cheese at the 2003 World Cheese Awards in London, a first for a U.S. creamery and as World’s Best Cheese in 2019.

Today, Rogue Creamery is thriving as a farm and a dairy. As a certified B Corp business, their dedication to sustainability is woven into every day. From utilising organic milk to implementing eco-friendly practices in the production processes, their aim is to ensure that the environmental footprint is as minimal as possible. Rotational grazing is employed at the farm, which is where the cows are rotated through each of the 15 paddocks in a timely manner. This ensures that the animals feed on the pasture when its at the optimal height, providing the best nutrients. Milking robots allow the cows to be milked ‘at will’ – creating a low stress environment whilst maximising productivity. 

The blue cheeses are still made using the original Penicillium Roqueforti sourced by Tom Vella and since production has outstripped the farm’s milk capacity, local organic dairies partner with Rogue, mirroring the makeup of their herds to produce consistent quality milk. Cheesemaking is still done with traditional, open-vat methods and cave-ageing for extended periods of time allows these blue cheeses to develop their distinct soft, luxurious textures.

Neighbouring Troon Vineyard supplies Rogue Creamery with Syrah red wine to soak Bluehorn Blue, as well as the Syrah grape leaves used to wrap the most acclaimed seasonal offering, Rogue River Blue. In fact, the exact same vines that provide leaves for Rogue River Blue provide the grapes for Bluehorn.