What Makes Vella Cheese So Special?

The Sonoma based cheesemaker Vella Cheese began production in 1931 and their products continue to shine—remarkable for both their quality and value. We recently spoke with Chickie Vella to learn more about the company that has been producing cheese since the very beginning of the artisan cheese movement in the U.S.

 

The History of Vella Cheese & Monterey Jack Cheese

Immigrating from the island of Sicily in the 1920’s, family patriarch and entrepreneur, Gaetano “Tom” Vella leapt into the business with guidance from his brother Joe who was already established as a partner at the Sonoma Mission Creamery. Once Vella had a handle on how to navigate the business, he opened his own business with the idea of using only locally sourced milk, at the request of local dairymen. The focus of his new company was – and remains – the popular semi-hard, cow’s milk cheese, Monterey Jack, and more specifically, their Dry Jack.

Fresh Jack cheese was originally made by members of the Franciscan religious order in Monterey CA, 150 miles south of Sonoma, in the 18th century. It’s generally believed the cheese was later popularized in the 1830’s by the historically reviled Scottish immigrant landowner, David Jacks, whose name it is attributed to. Read more about the much disputed history of Monterey Jack.

Once perfected Monterey Jack became synonymous with the Golden State. Fresh Jack was popular from the start, but there was more in store. “Prior to WW1 there was no equivalent to a dry Parmesan,” explains Vella. There wasn’t any classic, aged grating cheese being commercially made in the U.S. Dry Jack, which had been created by accident when some cheese was left unattended, was marketed as a viable alternative and something that served the Italian community very well.

 

Vella’s Bear Flag Brand Jack Cheese

For more than 90 years, the Vella family have made all of their animal rennet-free jack products by hand. They use rich Holstein milk to create more than 15 products including Dry Jack, Habanero Jack and Golden Bear Dry Jack. Current federal standards require 50% milk fat for their products; and the fresh cheese is aged for a minimum of seven months. The Dry Jack is aged an additional seven to ten months. The distinctive black coating on Golden Bear is a mixture of oil, black pepper and unsweetened cocoa. The cheese ages in the same stone building they have occupied since taking it over from a brewery in 1969.

If you want to try some but you aren’t in the San Francisco Bay area, the cheeses are available in specialty shops, online and on menus at restaurants across the country.

 

Cheesemaking at Vella

“We are a family,” Vella says as she points out the trajectory of the current head cheesemaker Jeff Catrambone, sharing “He comes from a cheesemaker family and started working in the retail store when he was 15 years old as a part time job. He’s been with the family ever since and keeps the standards high. Thanks to the company being unionized, it’s a place people stay.” In fact, Catrambone took over from Charlie Malkassian, the previous head cheesemaker who worked at the company for 40 years. Read more about Charlie Malkassian. They also have had a much-lauded apprentice program with cheesemakers apprenticing for three years before becoming union cheesemakers.

Vella’s second-generation leader, Chickie Vella’s father Ig August Vella was a larger-than-life figure in the American artisan cheese movement, frequently referred to as the “godfather of artisanal cheese.” Ig Vella was born just 3 years before his father established the cheese company. He was involved in community, business and civic organizations and mentored many of the pioneering artisan cheesemakers including Jennifer Bice of Redwood Hill, Laura Chenel, David Gremmels and Cary Bryant of Rogue Creamery (read more about Rogue Creamery) and Cheese Professor contributor Sheana Davis, who shares that Ig was always there for the up-and-coming cheesemakers and cheesemongers who he knew were carrying American artisan cheesemaking forward.

 

The Vella Cheese Shop

Sonoma may be known for wine and wineries, but a stop at Vella is another way to appreciate the area’s agricultural culture and heritage. The hundred-plus year-old stone front retail shop is just off the main Sonoma Square and offers the full range of products. Many of the staff at their tasting room have been there for decades and all offer samples of any of the products in their case and will share details on the how the cheeses are made and aged.

 

Dry Jack

When tasting Dry Jack, you’ll notice the aroma of roasted nuts, and a hint of butter. The finish has a slight sharpness and lightly salted taste akin to parmesan. Vella shares that like many cheeses, with age, Dry Jack develops more flavor.

The uniqueness of Dry Jack is in the production. Each hand-made wheel is aged for a minimum of seven months. Unlike traditional cheeses, it’s aged on its edge, like a tire ready to roll. The wheels are rotated often to ensure consistent, quality cheese with even moisture and flavor.

They make a variety of other cheeses as well, including both a tangy and robust sharp and smooth and buttery mild, cow’s milk cheddar.

While the jack cheese is most associated with Cal-Mex cuisine, their range of jack cheeses are all great for eating out of hand or using in any Italian recipe. We personally  agree with Vella, who contends that while the cheeses are versatile, a sliver with a glass of wine is a winning combination.

 

Looking Forward

Vella Cheese is known for their commitment not just to cheese, but to creating jobs, community engagement and green and sustainable choices. Their focus is on cheese, is a way of supporting the remaining regional dairy farmers and their use of solar panels. Jack has secured an honored place in the Slow Food Ark of Taste and Vella’s cheeses are award-winning.

The challenge in Sonoma, and in most of California, is finding local milk from reliable producers. Chickie pointed out that at the peak, there were more than 30 milk producers in Sonoma, but today that number is down to just one. Now they source from Clover, a family-owned Sonoma based dairy company that partners with local famers. Looking forward, Vella says, “We don’t know what the future holds, but we plan on being here.”