Cheeses of Sonoma and Marin
Coastal dairy country north of San Francisco, with Jack cheese in Sonoma and soft and blue cheeses in West Marin.
Made, aged and sold here
Best time: April to May, when the hills are green, and September to October.
The green hills of Sonoma and Marin counties, cooled by Pacific fog, are California's oldest dairy country. Ranches around Point Reyes and Tomales Bay have sent butter and milk to San Francisco since the 1850s. A creamery making soft cheese has worked here since 1865, Sonoma has made Jack cheese since the 1930s, and newer makers turn out bloomy, blue and washed-rind cheeses.
The cheeses
Monterey Jack, a mild Californian cheese descended from the farmer's cheese of Spanish missions, is made in Sonoma in fresh and dry aged forms. West Marin's dairies make soft white-rinded cheeses in the style of Brie and Camembert, farmstead blue cheese, and fresh cheeses. Many ranches are organic and graze cattle on coastal grass for most of the year.
Ranches and the coast
Point Reyes National Seashore protects beaches, cliffs and historic dairy ranches, some still working under lease. Point Reyes Station is a small ranch town with a bakery, a market and cheese counters. Inland, Sonoma town has a Spanish mission, a plaza and wine country all around. Tomales Bay oysters are a local pairing with the cheese.
A trail idea for Sonoma and Marin
- Point Reyes Station The ranch town, with local cheese counters.
- Point Reyes National Seashore See the historic dairy ranches and the lighthouse.
- Tomales Bay Eat oysters along the shore.
- Sonoma Plaza The mission town where Jack cheese is made.
Written by the EveryCheese desk with AI assistance. Background: "Point Reyes Station, California" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets, caves and tours change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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