As any cheesemaker will tell you, the secret to producing fantastic cheese is in the milk. Luckily, for the producers of South Tyrol, they have access to some of the finest milk in all of Italy. Sourced from small mountain farms – often with small herds of just fifteen cows each – the cattle are allowed to roam free, grazing on the indigenous herbs and plants that make South Tyrolean mountain meadows such serene, tranquil places to visit. Living at such high altitudes (between 800 and 2,000 meters above sea level) also seems to give the milk an unmatched purity, which the farmers capture by making sure all their milk is processed within twenty-four hours.
Perhaps that’s why South Tyrol is home to over 200 different types of cheese. Often made by small producers and available only at certain times of the year, they are always in high demand throughout the region (and beyond), making South Tyrol a must-visit destination for the cheese-obsessed. Any cheese made in the area is going to be good, but if you’ve only got time (and room in your stomach!) to taste a few, these are the most iconic.