Crater Lake Blue
- Producer
- Rogue Creamery
- Country
- United States
- Region
- Oregon
- Size
- 8 ins diameter, 5-6 ins high
- Weight
- 5lbs
- Website
- www.roguecreamery.com
- Milk
- Cow
- Classification
- Blue
Firm - Rennet
- Vegetable
- Rind
- Natural
David Gremmels and Cary Bryant bought Rogue Creamery on a handshake from Ig Vella (Vella Cheese Company) in 2002. Rogue was originally founded in 1935 by Ig's father, Tom, who ran it as a successful creamery for many years. Upon Tom's death in 1998 (aged 100), Ig took over and then finally sold it to David and Cary in 2002, with the stipulation that they would continue to make the creamery’s signature cheeses according to tradition. Today, Rogue Creamery is a thriving business that produces a variety of award winning cheeses in addition to the originals that the Vella family created. Milk for production comes from Delmar at Rogueview Dairy. Delmar has 70 acres with 1/4 mile frontage on the river - a beautiful piece of property in a valley that used to be loaded with small dairies of 15-20 cows. Delmar started with 90 cows and has grown to 200, where he has held for the past 15 years. The milkers go out on pasture daily, when weather permits, (from March-October), but are not exclusively grass-fed, as they also get hay and grain. Named after the deepest lake in the United States, Crater Lake Blue is Rogue's most robust blue cheese. Aged to at least 90 days, it is produced using a complex blend of starter cultures and molds, some indigenous to Rogue Creamery and some imported.
The texture of Crater Lake Blue is dense and silky with occasional blue-green veins and pockets.
Flavors are fruity and spicy and assertive. Pairs very well with Claret, Syrah or Port.
