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For a decade, we’ve proudly sourced the best artisan cheeses from around the world and ripened them to perfection in our Cheese Caves in Rochester, NY. We’re passionate about delicious cheese—and about bringing you our best every day.
If you love delicious cheese like we do, you know it’s all about how great-tasting it is when it’s perfectly ripe. That’s why we built our own environment that mimics Europe’s famed caves. Our state-of-the-art 12,300 sq. ft. building houses a dedicated room for Brie cheeses and seven “caves” where soft and washed-rind cheeses are nurtured to delicious ripeness. Several different kinds of cheeses can be ripened within the facility at a time, but they’re ripened in separate caves to keep their flavors distinct.
We start by sourcing the best artisan cheeses from near our stores and across the globe, then ripen and enhance them in our own Cheese Caves. Our Cheese Caves team, led by French native Mathieu Callol (meet Mathieu below), works to ensure every cheese is deliciously ripe and deeply flavorful. The carefully ripened cheese is only sent to our stores when it’s at its peak of perfection, so you can be confident any cheese you select is ready to enjoy. If you need any help choosing a cheese, our specially trained employees are on hand to help you discover one that’s “just ripe.”
Meet Mathieu, our Cheese Cave Affineur
“Everything’s a dream here,” says Mathieu Callol, our Cheese Cave affineur (that’s a French term for those who lead cheese to its peak of perfection). “I’m very excited to work for Wegmans because they care about their people, their customers, their suppliers, and their products.”
Born in Dijon, France, Mathieu obtained a Master’s degree in dairy production and biotechnology from one of France’s most prestigious institutions. He spent several years honing his craft both as a research and development project manager and technician for renowned European cheese-making operations. His great connections with these important manufacturers will mean new sources of incredible cheeses for Wegmans.
Mathieu brings a unique combination of extensive training, years of experience, a love of innovation, and a French-born culinary passion to our Cheese Caves. “I want to use my expertise to help our team create distinctive new cheeses for Wegmans customers,” Mathieu says. “The wonderful part of cheese is that it is a never-ending discovery!”
Here’s how the cheese you find in our Cheese Shop goes from green to great!
It takes a lot of hard work to make our Cheese Shop a true destination for cheese-lovers! We start by sourcing the best artisan cheeses, then ripen and enhance them in our own Cheese Caves. Our in-store misting cases ensure that these cheeses are ready for you to enjoy, and our specially trained employees are on hand to help you select the cheese that’s perfect for you.
1. Partnering with the best suppiers
Artisan cheesemakers from near our stores and around the world hand-select unripened or “green” cheeses especially for Wegmans. They trust our dedicated Cheese Caves team to carefully nurture their hand-made cheeses to the peak of ripeness.
2. Ripening in our Cheese Caves
Different types of cheeses require very specific environments to achieve their finest flavors and textures, so our facility has seven distinct ripening rooms with carefully calibrated “climates.”
3. Enhancing the cheese
As they ripen, “green” cheeses are flipped and/or washed with ingredients like wines and spirits to create one-of-a-kind cheeses just for you.
4. The magic of our in-store misting cases
Our misting cases are the next stop for the now perfectly ripened cheeses—the uniquely modified environment maintains ideal flavor and texture. We offer dozens of exceptional cheeses in this case.
Named in honor of David Galton, retired Cornell professor and co-owner of Old Chatham Sheepherding Company, where this delicious cheese is crafted from sheep and cow’s milk just for us.
Awards:
Taste: Lush and buttery with a mushroomy rind
Texture: Rich and supple
We work together with Vermont Creamery to create this fresh-tasting, silky aged goat cheese, named for the year Wegmans was founded.
Awards:
Taste: Sweet with a delicate, inviting tang, with floral hints of goat cheese
Texture: Silky and creamy under the rind with a mildly fudgy, dense core
This exclusive Wegmans washed-rind cheese is washed with sake (Japanese rice beer) as it ages in our own Cheese Caves. It’s creamy and smooth, with a unique, complex flavor that’s pungent and savory with milky-grassy notes.
Awards:
Taste: Complex savory flavor with grassy and herbal notes
Texture: Silky and creamy under the rind with a fudgy, melt-in-your-mouth core
Made in a small French village and sent to our Cheese Caves where we wash it with our own apple cider and ripen it to perfection.
Awards:
Taste: A nutty, creamy, and savory flavor
Texture: Supple, melt-in-your-mouth texture