Gruyere AOP

Your cheese is an aged gruyere of at least 12 months.

Body	Firm even curd with no cracks, but may have “eyes”.  May become granular as it ages
Primary Tastes	Balanced sweet, salt and savoury flavours, with low acidity and no bitterness
Dairy flavours	Cream, butter, minor caramel notes
Other flavours	Nutty, toasted or roasted  notes and earthiness. Sometimes brothy or caramelised onion. You may also experience light grassy, fruity (dried fruit) or floral (meadow) notes

More about the Cheese

Gruyère cheese is an iconic and globally popular swiss style cheese. Swiss gruyeres are called Le Gruyere AOP and most countries (not the USA) respect the term Gruyere as applying to cheeses only made in Switzerland. This was the subject of a US court case in 2023.

Shape and Size

Gruyeres are big cheeses. They are large, firm, cow’s milk cheese carefully aged to develop distinct flavours and textures.

The cheese is typically

• a flat wheel
• 30 to 75cm (12 to 30 inches) across, 7-10cm (2.5 to 4 inches) deep
• 25 to 40 kilograms (55 to 88 pounds) depending on its size

Swiss gruyere becomes recognisable in style and quality around 7 months, but may not reach its full complexity until 14 months or more.

Origins of Gruyère Cheese:

Gruyère cheese hails from the Gruyère region in Switzerland. Its roots can be traced back to the 12th century, making it one of the oldest cheese varieties in Europe.

The cheese is typically made in small dairies within villages of the region by farmers using their own milk. this can change significantly as the cows move up to mountain pastures for the summer, then return to the barns for winter.

Swiss Gruyeres are often matured by specialists, called affineurs, who develop the tastes and flavours of cheeses of many cheesemakers over many months in large maturing houses.

Characteristics of Gruyère Cheese:

Gruyère cheese is celebrated for its unique set of characteristics, which have contributed to its global recognition and popularity:

1. Body: Gruyère is known for its smooth, creamy texture. It is supple and pliable when young but becomes firmer and more granular as it ages. The cheese often features small, scattered holes or “eyes” throughout its interior.
2. Taste: Gruyere is identifiable as having balanced sweet, salt and savoury flavours, with low acidity and no bitterness.
3. Flavours: Gruyère boasts a complex and nutty flavour with hints of tanginess and earthiness. Prized gruyeres show subtle fruity, herby and/or floral notes

Melting Qualities: Gruyère is renowned for its excellent melting properties. It is a popular choice for fondue and gratin dishes due to its ability to melt smoothly and create a creamy, luscious texture.

Coming to America:

The journey of Gruyère cheese to the United States can be traced back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries with Swiss immigrants. They established dairy farms particularly in regions like Wisconsin which have became synonymous with cheese production in the U.S.

Free from eth tradition of Swiss gruyere, American interpretations can be diverse. Finding gruyeres more than 12 months rich in flavour can be difficult.

Gruyere today

Swiss gruyere a huge and important export for Switzerland, as it combines artisan cheesemaking with a globally successful business model. It also continues to be one of the most successful cheese styles in cheese competitions in the world due to its easily enjoyable taste profile and huge capacity for flavour complexity when aged well.