Fontina is a soft, elastic DOP cheese from Valle d’Aosta, made with whole cow’s milk that may be raw or thermized.
Valle d’Aosta’s agricultural authority traces the word “fontina” to a 1717 document of the monks of the Great St Bernard Hospice.
Italy recognized the cheese’s denomination in 1955, followed by European protection in 1996. These milestones sit within Valle d’Aosta’s longer cheesemaking history.
The milk comes from Valdostana Pezzata Rossa, Pezzata Nera or Castana cattle, or crosses among them. One or more consecutive milkings can be used, with processing beginning within 40 hours of the first; the milk may be raw or thermized. Calf rennet sets the milk in copper or steel vats, then the curd is broken, worked and pressed into wheels. A casein plate and producer identifier accompany the wheel through production.
During maturation, the cheeses are turned, salted, brushed and washed. This surface care helps develop the rind. Fontina matures for at least 80 days.
Fontina’s production area covers the whole of Valle d’Aosta. Milk production, cheesemaking, aging and portioning take place within this regional boundary. Forage predominates over concentrate in the cows’ ration, and at least 60 percent of its dry matter comes from the delimited area. The Alpeggio label identifies Fontina made exclusively with milk produced at registered alpine-pasture sites. Lunga stagionatura refers to a different feature: maturation for at least 180 days.
Aosta ValleyFontina has a thin brown rind and soft, elastic ivory-to-straw paste with scattered eyes. Enjoy a slice on its own, or use it in fonduta and seupa à la vapelenentse. For fonduta, the cheese is warmed into a creamy paste: a different way to enjoy the same cheese you might serve uncooked at the table.
Look for the full Fontina name and DOP presentation on the packaging. The wheel carries a casein code and producer identifier, with the official mark applied after the minimum maturation period. For a cut portion, ask which wheel it came from and check the operator, lot and date information on its packaging. The producer consortium protects and promotes the designation, while the designated control body checks conformity.
Keep Fontina chilled after purchase and use clean utensils when cutting it. Follow the storage directions and dates on the specific package, and check its ingredient, allergen and nutrition information. For a wedge cut at the counter, ask the seller how to store it and when to eat it; for a sealed portion, follow the producer’s instructions.
No. Fontina may be made with raw or thermized milk. Check the label or ask the producer which treatment was used.
No. It describes milk from registered alpine-pasture sites. Lunga stagionatura is the separate term tied to a minimum of 180 days.
No. Use the DOP presentation and traceability of the actual wheel or portion.
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