Beyond Blue: Exploring the Award-Winning Cheeses of Roelli Cheese Haus
I used to frequently encounter customers at the cheese counter who would say, “I want anything except for blue on my cheese board.” I used to be one of those people—both behind the counter and shopping for cheese—uttering those exact words. However, that changed after a pivotal moment with one of the best cheeses Wisconsin has to offer. This is not just my humble opinion; this particular cheese company has won several awards, including honors at the American Cheese Society Conference in 2013 for their cheese, Little Mountain, and at the 2014 conference for Dunbarton Blue. Dunbarton Blue has also earned the American Cheese Society Red and White Ribbon and the Wisconsin State Fair Blue Ribbon. Additionally, it was featured on the TV show Top Chef in April 2024.
Roelli Cheese Haus is located in Southwest Wisconsin and has been delighting consumers for four generations with masterful cheese-making skills. They produce several award-winning cheeses, including Little Mountain, which won the American Cheese Society Best in Show in 2016, and Red Rock, which earned blue ribbons at both the World and U.S. Championship Cheese Contests.
Dunbarton Blue
Photo Credit - Culture Magazine
Dunbarton Blue
The first cheese I encountered was Dunbarton Blue, an English-style cheddar with streaks of blue veins running through it. It is not only a beautiful cheese but also tastes even better than it looks.
I was fortunate enough to tour Roelli Cheese Haus in fall of 2014 and learned that the milk for Dunbarton Blue is inoculated with Penicillium roqueforti. After about a week, the cheese is pierced to allow airflow, enabling the mold to spread. What’s fascinating about Dunbarton Blue is that the cheese is then pressed, which alters its texture and restricts the mold’s further spread. This process allows for a hint of a wild and piquant blue flavor without overwhelming the earthy character of the English-style cheddar base. I believe this cheese pairs well with many things. Dunbarton Blue is incredible with a strong beer or hearty red wine, but it also complements fortified wines like Port, making it an outstanding addition to any cheese plate for any occasion.
Red Rock
The other cheese Roelli Cheese Haus is known for is Red Rock. Aged for only 2 to 6 months, I consider it Roelli Cheese Haus’s “basic cheese” version of Dunbarton Blue. This dark orange cheese features vibrant blue streaks and a natural rind. It contains double the amount of annatto typically used in cheddar, resulting in an astounding color. Red Rock is a beautiful cheese!
Red Rock
Photo Credit - Best of Cheese Library
Blue is added to this cheese after it has been pressed, allowing it to cellar-age while its natural blue rind develops and fingers of blue mold creep through the center. Red Rock is a creamy, sliceable cheese—everything you could dream of for a perfect grown-up grilled cheese sandwich. It also serves as a fantastic gateway cheese to help your palate become accustomed to blue cheese.
Now, I know some readers might be thinking, “What don’t you understand? I detest blue!” Personally, I still struggle with blue cheese on occasion, but I promise these two cheeses will change your perspective. They open a door, and soon you may find yourself more willing to try other blue or blue-like cheeses. There’s nothing to lose by trying a new cheese. Stop in and ask your local cheese monger for a sample—you might just discover a whole new world of flavor that you didn’t know you would enjoy!
