Cabrillo

Nutty, Tangy, Earthy | Cow/Goat Milk | Manchego | Vegetarian | Age: 5 Months ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 

Cabrillo, named after the iconic Highway 1 (or Cabrillo Highway) minutes from our farm, is a tangy Manchego/Spanish style made from a blend of goat and cow milk. It delivers a balanced, nutty, and salty flavor with earthy undertones. Perfect with toasted almonds, sweet quince paste, and crusty bread. Best paired with dry Sherry, robust Rioja, or full-bodied reds.

  • CA State Fair Gold 2024
  • CA State Fair Silver 2023
    Cabrillo
    From $11.00 USD

    Love It or Money Back

    9 years of happy customers can't be wrong.

    2 Day Shipping

    We prioritize freshness so we only ship out Mondays with 2nd day delivery.

    All Natural Practices

    We want you to know where your food comes from and that it is 100% healthy.

    Sustainable Farming

    The farm embraces solar power, circular waste reduction & water catchments.

    Tasting Notes

    Cabrillo is a tangy manchego made from a blend of goat and cow milk. It delivers a balanced, nutty, and salty flavor with earthy undertones. Perfect with toasted almonds, sweet quince paste, and crusty bread. Best paired with dry Sherry, robust Rioja, or full-bodied reds.

    • Style - Manchego

    • Milk Source - Goat & Cow Milk

    • Age - 5 months

    • Rennet - Vegetarian


    Cheese Characteristics

    Soft

    Firm

    Approachable

    Adventurous

    Mild

    Sharp

    Spreadable

    Grateable

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    Beverage Pairings

    • Pinot Noir

    • Amber ale



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    Charcuterie Pairings

    • Marcona Almonds

    • Membrillo

    • Jamon

    • Smoked Salmon

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    Awards

    • Silver: CA State Fair 2023

    • Gold: CA State Fair 2024

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    Special Notes

    The first hard cheese we ever made, and still one of our favorites.

    A tray with cheese, crackers, marmalade jar, and a Stepladder Ranch & Creamery booklet.

    Meet the Creamery
    Owners

    MICHELLE & JACK RUDOLPH

    Stepladder Creamery isn't simply another cheese company—it represents the heartfelt journey of Jack and Michelle Rudolph, who took a huge risk to transition from careers in tech and event planning to pursue a love of cheesemaking that began in the confines of Jack’s apartment.


    Their shared enthusiasm for cheesemaking and sustainable agriculture has revitalized Jack's grandfather's 150-year-old historic ranch, turning it into a stronghold for handcrafted quality and environmentally responsible farming.

    Jack and Michelle stand for embracing a narrative of love, commitment, and innovation. By treating their goats like family and enhancing the land through increased biodiversity, Jack and Michelle invite you to join a movement where artisanal craftmanship prevails.


    More than just cheesemakers, the Rudolphs are profoundly committed to the well-being of their team, their animals, and the support of similar small businesses and makers. Each piece of Stepladder cheese embodies the Rudolphs' unwavering dedication to perfecting their craft.

    Meet the Creamery Owners

    Michelle & Jack Rudolph

    Jack and Michelle stand for embracing a narrative of love, commitment, and innovation. By treating their goats like family and enhancing the land through increased biodiversity, Jack and Michelle invite you to join a movement where artisanal craftmanship prevails.


    More than just cheesemakers, the Rudolphs are profoundly committed to the well-being of their team, their animals, and the support of similar small businesses and makers. Each piece of Stepladder cheese embodies the Rudolphs' unwavering dedication to perfecting their craft.

    Stepladder Creamery isn't simply another cheese company—it represents the heartfelt journey of Jack and Michelle Rudolph, who took a huge risk to transition from careers in tech and event planning to pursue a love of cheesemaking that began in the confines of Jack’s apartment.


    Their shared enthusiasm for cheesemaking and sustainable agriculture has revitalized Jack's grandfather's 150-year-old historic ranch, turning it into a stronghold for handcrafted quality and environmentally responsible farming.

    Sustainable from Start to End

    STEPLADDER CREAMERY

    Being a sustainable ranch and creamery is non-negotiable for us. We love where we live and work, and want to keep it just as beautiful as when we got here.

    How do we stay sustainable?

    Solar-Power

    A 50KW solar array on the farm produces roughly 90 percent of the energy we use

    Water Catchments

    We rely on spring water and a large rain catchment refreshed by the annual rain as our main source

    Circular Waste-Reduction

    We utilize the manure from the goats to fertilize our orchards, and free-roaming Stepladder piggies receive the spent whey from the creamery and get to eat any unsellable harvested fruit and veg.

    The Happiest Goats in the USA

    As a farmstead creamery, we raise our goats on the farm and make cheese from their milk, which allows us to manage every aspect of the Stepladder cheese production.

    With every passing season, our herd has grown, as has the variety of both goat and cow’s milk cheeses we now produce in our creamery.


    Our herd of 40 goats consists of registered LaManchas (the only breed of goats developed in the United States), and they happily graze on three acres of open pasture!

    Experience award winning small batch cheese from farmstead goats and local cow milk

    Every bite is a testament to our cared-for animals and state-of-the-art techniques that delivers exceptional quality and freshness to your palate.

    Small batch cheese from
    farmstead goat and local cow milk

    Every bite is a testament to our cared-for animals and state-of-the-art techniques that delivers exceptional quality and freshness to your palate.