A guide to Alpine cheese across France, Switzerland, and Italy — the great mountain cheeses, how they're made, and what unites them.
The Alps, spanning France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, and beyond, are home to some of the world's greatest cheeses. Born of mountain pastures and the need to preserve summer milk through winter, Alpine cheeses share a noble character — firm, nutty, and richly flavored. Here's a guide to this magnificent tradition.
What Makes a Cheese "Alpine"
Alpine cheeses are typically large, firm, cooked-and-pressed wheels made from the milk of cows grazing high mountain pastures. The recipe evolved for practical reasons: large wheels stored well and concentrated the milk of summer into a food that lasted through winter. Grazing on diverse mountain grasses and wildflowers gives the milk — and the cheese — exceptional flavor and aroma. The result is a family of nutty, savory, often sweet cheeses that melt beautifully.
French Alpine Cheeses
France's Savoie and Jura mountains produce superb Alpine cheeses. Comté, from the Jura, is France's most popular cheese — nutty, complex, and varying by terroir. Beaufort, the "Prince of Gruyères," is rich and fruity. Abondance and Tomme de Savoie round out the tradition, alongside the seasonal, spruce-wrapped Mont d'Or and the melting cheese behind raclette.
Swiss Alpine Cheeses
Switzerland is the spiritual home of Alpine cheese. Gruyère is the great melting cheese, firm and nutty; Emmental is the holey original; Appenzeller is washed with a secret herbal brine; and Sbrinz is a very hard, ancient grating cheese. These cheeses anchor Swiss fondue and raclette and are among the finest in the world.
Italian Alpine Cheeses
Italy's Alpine north contributes Fontina (from the Aosta Valley), nutty and superb for melting and fonduta; Montasio (from Friuli), the cheese behind crispy frico; and Asiago (from the Veneto), ranging from fresh to aged. These cheeses bring an Italian accent to the Alpine tradition.
What Unites Them
Across borders, Alpine cheeses share a common thread: firm, dense pastes; rich, nutty, savory flavors that deepen with age; excellent melting qualities; and a deep connection to mountain pastures and seasonal milk. Many are made in summer in high mountain chalets and aged through the year. They're the cheeses of fondue, raclette, gratins, and grand cheese boards.
How to Enjoy Alpine Cheese
An Alpine cheese board might span the three countries: French Comté, Swiss Gruyère, and Italian Fontina, served with crusty bread, dried fruit, and nuts. For a feast, melt them into fondue or enjoy a raclette evening. Pair with crisp Alpine white wines, light reds, or dry cider.
Pairings
Alpine cheeses pair with the crisp white wines of their mountain regions, light reds, and dry cider, as well as with crusty bread, cured meats, dried fruit, and nuts. They shine in fondue, raclette, and gratins.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Alpine cheese?
A large, firm, cooked-and-pressed cheese made from the milk of cows grazing high mountain pastures, typically nutty and great for melting.
Which countries make Alpine cheese?
Chiefly France, Switzerland, Italy, and Austria, each with signature cheeses like Comté, Gruyère, and Fontina.
Why are Alpine cheeses so good for melting?
Their firm, dense pastes melt smoothly and richly, which is why they're the classic cheeses for fondue, raclette, and gratins.