The Cheese Trail started with a map to put California’s artisan cheesemakers on the radar. It was a labor of love, a grassroots attempt to connect curious travelers with family-owned dairy farms. Michael Straus, who co-founded the Cheese Trail project with his sister Vivien Straus, has seen its transformation firsthand.

“The map started as the Sonoma Marin Cheese Trail, but because of significant demand, it quickly expanded to statewide within a few years,” Michael shared. “We printed 40,000 maps in 2022. This year we doubled it,” he said. “We’re expanding into other states and adding more to the map: cheese shops, hotels, wineries, restaurants. We’re creating a broader experience.”

Marin French Cheese Valentine Board courtesy of Marin French Cheese Co.

California’s Artisan Cheese Community

The impact of the project was immediate. “Within the first couple of months after the first map was printed in 2011, Marin French Cheese reported that their on-site sales increased something like 25 percent,” Michael recalled. “So, the project had a huge positive effect on the artisan cheese community statewide.”

Initially established as a nonprofit, the Cheese Trail has transformed into a mission-driven LLC dedicated to promoting artisan cheesemakers, supporting small farms, and fostering a cheese-loving community. Over the years, it has connected consumers with the artisans behind some of the world’s most celebrated cheeses. It has also helped to bolster the reach and viability of small-scale producers and family farms. As interest in regional food experiences grows, the Trail has become a cornerstone of California’s agritourism economy.

Today, the Cheese Trail features 44 cheesemakers spanning the state. Visitors can meet the nuns of a mountaintop cloister who craft Old World wheels or stop by a bakery-turned-creamery serving soft-ripened goat cheese with morning espresso. The journey is as much about stories as it is about samples.

According to Michael, cheesemakers have seen measurable benefits. “We’ve heard reports that the Trail drives up to 80% of retail traffic for some participants,” he notes. “That kind of exposure helps small producers survive in a tough market.”

The Trail is also deeply personal. Michael and Vivien live on their family ranch outside Marshall, where they grew up helping run what became Straus Family Creamery. While they’re no longer affiliated with the creamery, they still raise dairy cows and host weddings and vacationers on the Strauss Home Ranch—now featured on the Cheese Trail for its hospitality and heritage.

The Pacheco Family, photo courtesy of Achadinha Farm

Tasting Sonoma and Marin: A Road Trip for the Senses

A drive along the Cheese Trail in Sonoma County offers a perfect pairing of landscapes and flavors. In a region synonymous with world-class wine, the California Cheese Trail feels not only complementary but essential. Just as wine reflects the terroir of its vineyard, artisan cheese tells a story of local pastures, breeds, and traditions.

Many of the creameries on the trail are nestled among vineyards, and wine-and-cheese pairings have become staples at tasting rooms throughout the state. Both industries champion small producers, seasonal nuance, and a deep respect for the land. For travelers, the Cheese Trail enhances any wine country itinerary, offering rustic charm, flavorful surprises, and a tangible connection to California’s agricultural roots.

Ask any cheesemaker what inspired them to get into the business, and they’ll tell you about grandparents who milked cows before dawn, land that’s been in the family for five generations, and recipes scribbled in the margins of old notebooks. Like the historic wineries of Sonoma and Napa, these creameries are rooted in an agricultural ethos predating California’s reputation for fine wine or farm-to-table fare.

The Northern California (Sonoma and Marin Counties) part of the trail offers a plethora of tasting and visiting options. Petaluma’s Victorian charm masks a fierce commitment to farmstead heritage. Just east of downtown, on a stretch of open pasture, Achadinha Cheese Company offers a window into a working dairy that feels untouched by time. The Achadinha family—Portuguese for “little fountain”—has been tending this land for generations. Their goats and cows are not just milk producers, they’re personalities, each contributing to the signature blends in their fresh chevre, aged Capricious, and playful curds. The tour is earthy and hands-on: guests may pet goats, step into the creamery, and sample cheeses straight from the aging room.

A 20-minute drive through rolling farmland leads to a historic gem: Marin French Cheese Co. Technically across the county line in Marin, it is practically an honorary Sonoma business, a staple in its cheese lovers’ charcuterie board choices. Established in 1865, it is America’s oldest continuously operating cheese company, but you wouldn’t know it from its youthful energy. Here, triple-cream brie and camemberts are king. The tasting room offers curated flights, and guests can picnic beside a lily-covered pond. It’s a reminder that cheese can be elegant and relaxed, ideally suited to sunshine and a rustic baguette.

From there, head north to Sebastopol to visit Wm. Cofield Cheesemakers. Cofield focuses on British-style wheels: crumbly cheddar, pungent Stilton-style blues, all made with local milk. As of 2025, the creamery also houses Alemar Cheese Company, known for award-winning soft-ripened styles. It’s a one-two punch of European flavor with Sonoma terroir.

Further west, Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery blends five generations of dairy tradition with bold innovation. It is a shining example of old-school dairy values meeting new-school flair. Using milk from Jersey cows raised on their own pastures, the creamery’s stars include “Estero Gold,” a Monterey Jack-style cheese with deep umami notes, and “Highway 1,” a creamy fontina-like wheel. Their café serves breakfast sandwiches and espresso, making this a one-stop morning indulgence.

The town of Sonoma offers more stops. Vella Cheese is an icon, famous for its Dry Jack. Epicurean Connection runs cheesemaking classes in town. And Spring Hill Jersey Cheese offers retail and a nostalgic vibe.

The Cheese Trail captures Sonoma’s legacy of agriculture and craftsmanship and connects visitors to the land and the makers. It reminds us that tradition is worth preserving, gives us a true sense of place (with taste!), and delivers nostalgia and real-world delicacies.

And that’s just Sonoma. Nearby Marin County adds even more flavor:

• Point Reyes Farmstead was the first to make blue cheese commercially in California.
• Nicasio Valley Cheese is the state’s only certified organic, farmstead cheesemaker.
• Ramini Mozzarella makes rare buffalo cheese, which is available at farmers’ markets.

Ramini Mozzarella Ricotta // Photo by Courtney Caldwell

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for the Trail

Today, the Cheese Trail is expanding in scope and ambition. The team is exploring ways to include cheese retailers, wine bars, restaurants, and hospitality destinations across California—and beyond. The goal? To create a deeper and more connected visitor experience.

“The Trail has already had a huge effect on the artisan cheese community statewide,” Michael said. “But the potential for connection, culinary storytelling, supporting farmers—it’s bigger than just one state.”

“Even though it’s been incredibly successful already, we realize there’s still a lot of growth potential,” Michael said. “We’re just beginning to hit our stride.”

The Trail’s website now includes a robust cheese directory, searchable by milk type, style, or region; curated driving itineraries; and a business-to-business portal linking artisans with retailers and restaurants. It has become the go-to resource for discovering many of California’s 600+ handmade cheeses from small family farms. What started as a printed guide is now the state’s most comprehensive cheese tourism resource.

Map courtesy of The Cheese Trail

Cheese Trail Stops in Sonoma and Marin

Many of these businesses are small and family-run, some are historic, and others are just getting started. All are committed to sustainable practices, animal welfare, and handcrafted flavor.

SONOMA
Epicurean Connection:
Sheana Davis, a central figure in California’s cheese scene, leads cheesemaking classes and events.

Vella Cheese Company:
Iconic producer of Dry Jack cheese. Historic, family-run operation still making cheese in stone buildings from the 1930s.

PETALUMA
Spring Hill Jersey Cheese:
Creamy, classic cheeses from Jersey cows. Their shop in downtown Petaluma is a cheese lover’s haven.

Marin French Cheese Co.:
America’s oldest continuously operating cheese company (since 1865). Specializes in triple-cream brie and camembert—picnic-perfect location.

Achadinha Cheese Company:
Farm tours, cheesemaking classes, and award-winning goat and cow milk cheeses. Family-run with a hands-on experience.

WINDSOR
Wm. Cofield Cheesemakers:
It is known for English-style cheddar and Stilton. As of 2025, it shares a space with Alemar Cheese, which offers award-winning soft-ripened cheeses.

VALLEY FORD
Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery:
Five generations of dairy farming, farmstead cheeses like Estero Gold, and Highway 1. Includes a café, catering, and ice cream.

TOMALES
Ramini Mozzarella:
Makers of rare water buffalo mozzarella. It is not open for tours currently, but can be found at local farmers’ markets.

POINT REYES STATION
Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.:
California’s first blue cheese producer. Offers tastings, classes, and sweeping views of Tomales Bay.

NICASIO
Nicasio Valley Cheese Company:
Third-generation Swiss-American family. Only certified organic farmstead cheesemakers in California. Alpine-style cheeses.

For more information www.cheesetrail.org