Toma di Gressoney: the authentic flavour of the Aosta Valley Alps
Toma di Gressoney is one of the rarest and most precious cheeses of the Aosta Valley. Produced in the upper Lys Valley, at the foot of Monte Rosa, this alpine toma tells the story of a territory of peaks, high-altitude pastures and cheesemaking traditions handed down from generation to generation among the Walser communities.
The territory and Walser culture
Gressoney is a municipality in the Aosta Valley inhabited by the Walsers, a population of Germanic origin who settled in the Western Alps in the Middle Ages. Their culture is deeply linked to livestock farming and cheese production: cheese was a means of exchange, daily food and a symbol of community identity.
The high-altitude pastures — above 2,000 metres — where the cows spend the summer months give the milk unique characteristics: rich in alpine aromatic herbs, mountain flowers and a biodiversity that no lowland pasture can replicate.
How it is produced
Toma di Gressoney is produced with whole cow's milk, raw or pasteurised, from cattle raised on the alpine pastures of the Lys Valley. The curd is broken to a medium-fine grain, pressed into cylindrical moulds and salted dry or in brine. Ageing varies from 60 days for the young version to 6 months for the aged, which develops a darker rind and a more intense flavour, with notes of melted butter, alpine hay and a slight final sharpness.
How to enjoy it
Toma di Gressoney is a meditation cheese, to be enjoyed slowly to appreciate all its nuances:
- At room temperature on Aosta Valley rye bread or black mountain bread
- Melted on polenta concia, the traditional Aosta Valley dish par excellence
- On the board with rhododendron honey, walnuts and Aosta Valley cured meats
- Gratinated on mountain soups or Aosta Valley fondue
Discover our Toma di Gressoney and bring the authentic flavours of the Aosta Valley Alps to your table.
Wine pairings
The complexity of Toma di Gressoney requires characterful wines, preferably from the Aosta Valley:
- Torrette DOC — Aosta Valley red from Petit Rouge, territorial pairing par excellence
- Chambave Muscat — aromatic white for the young and delicate version
- Barolo or Barbaresco — for the more intense aged version
- Craft mountain beer — an amber beer with alpine herbs for a modern pairing
Why choose an artisan Toma di Gressoney
The rarity of this cheese is its strength: produced in small quantities by alpine farms and artisan dairies of the Lys Valley, each wheel is unique and unrepeatable. Choosing a Toma di Gressoney means supporting a millennia-old alpine tradition and the Walser culture that has preserved it to this day.
Explore our selection of Aosta Valley and alpine cheeses and discover the cheese treasures of the Italian Alps.
Discover our selection of Italian artisan cheeses.
