The cheeses of South Tyrol

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.

The first South Tyrolean cheese to gain PDO status from the EU, Stilfser (also known as Stelvio in Italian) is hundreds of years old, although it has only gained popularity outside the region in recent years. A semi-soft and brined cow’s milk cheese with a somewhat elastic texture, it is aged for just sixty days until it develops its strong, spicy flavour.

Encased in a striking black rind, this mature cheese is very complex with flavours ranging from honey and fruits to caramel and chocolate. Studded with naturally occurring salt crystals, it has a closed but creamy texture that almost melts on the tongue. The taste lingers and develops over time, making this a must-try cheese if you’re ever in the region.

An unusual variety of skimmed cow’s milk cheese, Graukäse (which translates to grey cheese) has a unique appearance thanks to the eye-catching grey mould which grows on the rind (which in this case has been cut away). It is a symbol of the local cucina povera and is an important ingredient in many local dishes such as dumplings. The cheese itself is very low in fat – around 0.5% – and has quite a sour, lactic flavour with a strong aroma. The cheese is matured for ten weeks before eating, and rather than being shaped into a wheel or truckle is simply moulded into a rustic ‘loaf’.