Member Profile: Briar Rose Creamery



Produced in partnership by Travel Dundee and the Dundee Hills Winegrowers Association.

Nestled in the beautiful Dundee Hills of Oregon, Briar Rose Creamery is a small cheese-making paradise where cheesemonger and owner, Sarah Marcus, works her magic. With a deep love for good food and an insatiable curiosity, Sarah has turned her passion for cheese into her life’s work, creating award-winning artisanal cheeses that are beloved by locals and visitors alike.

“I hit the books, started taking classes, and it launched me into this career where I find myself 13 years later,” Sarah shares about her cheese-making journey. What started as curiosity has now become a thriving business that produces exquisite cheeses using only four basic ingredients: milk, salt, culture, and rennet. Yet, from these simple ingredients, Sarah and her team create an array of cheese varieties that reflect the unique terroir of the Dundee Hills.

Sarah firmly believes that cheese, just like wine, has terroir and showcases the land in an infinite number of ways. “There is an element of the water, the air, and the Dundee Hills environment here. There are Dundee Hills fairies floating around putting their magic into this cheese,” Sarah jokingly remarks. The result is cheeses with distinct flavors that are influenced by the soil, grass, and water of the region, creating a true taste of the Dundee Hills in every bite.

One of Briar Rose Creamery’s most famous offerings is their fromage blanc, which has won numerous awards and has been recognized as the best in North America by the American Cheese Society. Sarah is incredibly proud of this achievement, as well as every ounce of cheese that she and her team have made in their 13 years together.

Visiting Briar Rose Creamery is an experience cheese lovers won’t want to miss. The farm store is open on Fridays and Saturdays, and it’s the only place where you can find Sarah’s famous truffles. Briar Rose cheeses are also available at Red Hills Market and as pairings at several local wineries.

Three Reasons to Visit Briar Rose Creamery:

  1. Sarah’s famous truffles – made with their Classic Chèvre or creamy Fromage Blanc blended with cocoa powder – are only available at the farm store.
  2. The famed wines of the Dundee Hills are made all the better by cheese pairings from Briar Rose. 
  3. Sarah adamantly believes cheese has terroir, just like wine. Try a few different varieties and see if you can taste the tropical fruit tones that influence all her cheeses.

 

Learn more about Briar Rose Creamery and Sarah Marcus, its award-winning cheese fairy.

 

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