Alp Montasson
Only produced in summer, heated in copper cettle over a wood fire and pressed exclusively in cloth.
Tastes flowery with a tangy, rich aroma and slight salty notes.
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CHEESEMAKER
Fabien Kolly, Alp Montasson
«My name is Fabien Kolly. During the warm summer months, my wife Sonja, my 3 children, my mother and I live on the Montasson Alp at 1,013 m above sea level. The cows are brought to Montasson, the lowest-lying hut, in May. Over the course of the summer, they continue to climb and change alpine pastures by following the grass. Our cows are Holstein cows. They are milked twice a day and this fresh, untreated milk is used to make our fine Le Gruyère Alpage AOP, among other specialties. Our cheese is made in the old and very traditional way over an open wood fire.»
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STORY
Only produced in summer and exclusively pressed in cloth...
Le Gruyère Alpage AOP is a product that is protected by the AOP quality seal and is only produced during summer months. The cows graze on mountain pastures and thus enjoy the unique alpine flora. This makes the milk particularly high quality and rich in flavor, which makes the cheese unique. Also worth mentioning is that Le Gruyère Alpage AOP is traditionally produced and pressed exclusively in cloths, which subtlety influences the rind health and texture of the cheese and supports even draining.
At the beginning of fall, the alpine herds return from the mountains. This tradition, in which the cattles are brought down from the mountains for the winter, is called “désalpe” and is widely celebrated.
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‘selected & proved’ / Affinage by Gourmino
During the slow ripening process, the cheeses are regularly turned and brushed with salt water. The moisture favors the formation of the cheese smear, which is an essential component of the rind to support the ripening process of the cheese. After three months of maturing in the region of origin and official quality assessment by the Le Gruyère AOP branch organization, the cheeses are taken over by Gourmino. In Langnau im Emmental, the selected wheels are matured for 6 to 18 months in our cheese cellar, where they are cared for with great expertise and passion.
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Alp milk
The cows that spend their summer on the Montasson alp are lucky. They live at 1,013 meters above sea level and enjoy a wonderful view of Lake Gruyère. The Kolly family takes loving care of their cows. They enjoy natural grazing and eat only fresh grass, flowers and herbs throughout the summer. These are more varied and richer than in the valley. The reason for this is the naturalness of the air and soil at this altitude, which gives Le Gruyère Alpage from Alp Montasson its unmistakable taste. Milking takes place twice a day, and the fresh, untreated milk is also used to produce other fine specialties in the small alp cheese dairy - from creamy tomme to spicy alp cheese with character.
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PROFILE & CHARACTER
| RAW INGREDIENTS: | fresh raw milk from cows grazing on mountain pastures |
| FAT CONTENT: | 49 % FDM |
| WEIGHT PER WHEEL: | approx. 20 - 35 kg |
| AGE: | at least 5 months (selected wheels are matured for 6 to 18 months in our cheese cellar) |
| TEXTURE: | firm, slightly crumbly |
| COLOR OF THE RIND: | light brown to dark brown bronze |
| CRYSTALS: | yes |
| TASTE: | flowery with a tangy, rich aroma and slight salty notes |