The production of cheese in Switzerland is a centuries-old tradition. Nearly half of all the milk produced in the Alpine country is processed into cheese to make nearly 450 varieties. Swiss cheese is renowned for its excellent quality, genuine character and exquisite flavor derived from the strict standards of production, quality control and respect for the environment. View here our selection of great international cheeses.

Here we present three unique varieties: Dzorette, Mont Vully and Sbrinz, which can only be found in the finest gastronomic shops.

Dzorette

In the Pays-d’Enhaut dialect, spoken in a mountainous area of the Swiss canton of Vaud, Dzorette means “small forest”. This is the name that Béroud Michel, founder of the Fleurette fromagerie, gave to one of his most celebrated products. Béroud, who has a long experience in the world of artisanal cheeses, created the Dzorette quite by accident, when he dropped a piece of cheese to the floor, which rolled to a stop under the Christmas tree. “I tried to remove the pine needles but could not get rid of them all. Then I took a bite, and the taste aroused my curiosity. The next day, I conducted some tests. As the needles were too sharp, I decided to cut them into minuscule pieces, and that is the genesis of Dzorette“, says Béroud. Dzorette cheese is made from raw cow’s milk, and its crust has the dark green color characteristic of the fir forests of the region. It boasts a unique aroma refined with chopped fir leaves. The sweet scent of resin gives it a seductive, rich and creamy taste.

Mont Vully

Mont Vully is made exclusively on a small family farm in Cressier, a village near the medieval town of Murten, Neuchatel. The story of this remarkable cheese began in 1993, when cheesemaker Ewald Schafer took over the Cressier dairy farm, which until then had produced the traditional cheeses from the Emmental region, east of Freiburg. Edward developed a new product, which he called Mont Vully. Considered among the best Swiss alpine cheeses, it is characterized for a semi-hard texture, washed rind, and uncooked pressed paste. It is made with cow’s milk and its texture is smooth and creamy, with small, irregular eyes. Its flavor is mild but it has a strong aroma. It is a delicate, slightly spicy and shows clear notes of fruit.

Sbrinz

Little known outside Switzerland, Sbrinz is produced all over the country. This mountain cheese with a very hard paste requires almost twice as much time to mature as the Emmentaler or Gruyere. It is more like the Italian Parmesan or the Spanish Manchego and keeps well for a long time without refrigeration. Produced in large flattened wheels, the Sbrinz has a hard, thick crust, a golden brown color and a very hard and grainy paste. Its aroma–pungent and sour–is rich with notes of coffee and chocolate, and high acid touches. Its flavor is mellow and well cured, with a hint of smoke. ■