Fontina

Appearance & taste

Fontina is a flat cylinder with flat faces and a side that is concave at first and not always visible after ripening; the wheel measures 30 to 45 cm in diameter, is 7 to 10 cm high and weighs 7.5 to 12 kg. The rind is thin and compact, light to dark brown depending on ripening, soft and, with longer storage, semi-hard. The paste is elastic and soft, ivory to a more or less deep straw-yellow, with characteristically distributed holes.

Fontina melts in the mouth. The specification describes the taste as typically mild and delicate; it becomes more intense with ripening and also depends on whether the cows eat hay or fresh grass. The cheese contains many live lactic acid bacteria.

Wheels made from mountain-pasture milk processed directly in the mountain dairy may carry the additional term “Alpeggio” (mountain-pasture cheese), and wheels ripened for at least 180 days the term “Lunga stagionatura” (long ripened). The mark is printed in ink on every wheel: a circle with stylised mountains above the word “FONTINA”, with “DOP” below it, and around the edge “ZONA DI PRODUZIONE — REGIONE AUTONOMA VALLE D’AOSTA”.

Production

The milk comes from the Aosta Valley, from cows of the Valdostana breed in its strains Pezzata Rossa, Pezzata Nera and Castana or from crosses of these three. At least 60 % of the feed (as dry matter) is produced in the area, and the ratio of fodder to concentrates is at least 67 to 33. Silage, fermented feed and a number of other feedstuffs are prohibited.

Whole milk is used, raw or thermised. Only native lactic acid bacteria, selected in the area and made available to all producers, and calf rennet are added. The curd is only gently heated (“a pasta semicotta”), then the wheels are moulded and dry-salted. Production and processing of the milk and ripening take place in the area. Portioning and packing are also only permitted there, because the marking on the wheel is lost on pieces. As rind and paste are very moist, these steps must be carried out quickly and at a suitable temperature and humidity so that no mould forms.

Origin & history

The Aosta Valley is an Alpine valley with its own climate and dry summers, which according to the specification shape the botanical composition of its meadows and pastures. Valdostana cows are compact and muscular, move well on mountain pastures and make good use of the local hay. They spend the summer on the mountain pastures and spring and autumn on pastures in the valley. In mountain-pasture farming, the “Alpeggio”, the herds are gradually moved to ever higher pastures.

The cheese is of historical importance to the valley’s economy. According to the specification, the working steps, including the addition of locally selected lactic acid bacteria, the addition of calf rennet at a suitable temperature, the moulding of the wheels and dry salting, have been passed on in the area for centuries.