Dairy Processing - November/December 2024 - 79

Rogue Creamery releases
latest vintage blue cheese
Artisan cheese maker Rogue Creamery introduced
the 2024 vintage of its heralded Rogue River Blue,
keeping with the company's tradition of releasing
the specialty cheese just in time to coincide with
the autumnal equinox.
The creators of the organic blue cheese, which
won the top honor at the 2019-20 World Cheese
Awards, said its flavors reflect the company's home
in southern Oregon.
Rogue Creamery said the process begins by
sourcing milk, which it ages in vats, from its dairy
cows. The cheese wheels are aged for nine to 11
months and hand-wrapped in what the company
described as " biodynamically grown grape leaves "
that were soaked in pear spirits.
The handcrafted cheese, the creamery explained,
evolves as it matures, " making it a nuanced cheese
to explore and revisit well into the holiday season. "
The organic cheese maker added that
Rogue River Blue has a bright, mild and tangy
profile in late summer and early fall, while
" notes of fermented fruit, plus savory and
umami flavors, emerge as the cheese ages and
becomes creamier. "
Roughly a year after the signature cheese
is crafted, Rogue Creamery makes it available
throughout the United States, as well as a number
of other countries. The company said its Rogue
River Blue was distributed to select specialty
cheese shops and counters in the US.
With origins that date back more than 90
years, Rogue Creamery noted it operates with an
emphasis on sustainable farming practices.
Vermont Creamery formulates
aged, donut-shaped cheese
Artisanal cheese and cultured dairy maker Vermont
Creamery celebrated the company's 40th anniversary
in September by releasing a new mixed-milk, softripened
cheese.
The company shared that Hooper - named after
one of Vermont Creamery's co-founders, Allison
Hooper - is its first washed rind, aged cheese.
" Vermont Creamery began as a passion for quality
cheese and a belief that we could create delicious,
artisanal dairy while making a positive impact on
everyone and everything our business touches, "
Hooper said. " Over the past 40 years, Vermont
Creamery has continued to innovate and perfect its
craft while embracing the Vermont spirit and mission
that makes Vermont Creamery so special. "
Its co-founder long had aspirations of creating a
donut-shaped Geotrichum rind cheese, and Vermont
Creamery's new product is based on the traditional
approach used in France's Loire Valley.
The process for creating Hooper calls for washing
the wrinkled Geotrichum rind with a French gray
sea salt brine. The donut shape helps the cheese
age evenly. Vermont Creamery said it makes the soft
cheese in small batches with local milk sourced from
both goats and cows.
The company described Hooper as featuring a
creamy and " luxe " mouthfeel, with " fruity, funky,
savory and buttery " flavor notes.
" We're inspired to continue building on the tradition
of craftsmanship, " said general manager Harry Kahn,
who credited co-founders Bob Reese and Hooper
with making that possible. " A new aged goat cheese
honoring Allison's legacy is the perfect encapsulation
of our 40th milestone and the exciting years ahead. "
The company launched its Hooper cheese at Whole
Foods Market locations, as well as independent
cheese shops. Vermont Creamery said it would be
sold online exclusively through Murray's Cheese for
six months.
DAIRYPROCESSING.COM | NOV-DEC 2024 79
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Dairy Processing - November/December 2024

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