Consorzio Produttori e Tutela della DOP Fontina

Founded in 1957, the Consorzio Produttori e Tutela della DOP Fontina (Consortium of Producers and Protection of DOP Fontina) watches over production and marketing of the Fontina product and ensures that cheese wheels which meet the regulations on production of this typical Aostan cheese are marked accordingly. Fontina, a DOP cheese (“Denominazione d'Origine Protetta” Registered Denomination of Origin in the whole of the European Union), must actually have precise characteristics (shape, weight, diameter, sides and organoleptic characteristics) that make it unique in the Alpine dairy scene. The branding to show selection is preceded by expert quality control of the cheese, which is done through an assessment of its characteristics, through tapping the cheese wheels and taking plug samples. Only those wheels which present the necessary characteristics are given the indelible ink brand which distinguishes the Fontina DOP product. The commission which assesses the wheels is made up of experts selected by the Consortium, who are listed in the relevant register and are authorised by the third-party organisation which is in charge of DOP checking.

The true “designers” of Fontina are the region’s mountain pastures and the native-breed cows: the red piebald, the black piebald and the chestnut brown play an irreplaceable role, thanks to their ability to evaluate the grass of the Alpine pastures, which are very rich in aromatic forage material. The relationship between animals and pasture is carefully managed and watched over by man, who – according to a pre-established sequence and calendar – organise the move the cattle make between mountain pastures. The Aostan cows have a variable milk production during the year, which is inferior overall in terms of quantity compared with that of other races, but of a higher quality. The diet of the cows, which is mainly made up of Alpine essences, also determines the nutritional content of the milk, which varies slightly between summer and winter. The cheese making process, as laid down by DOP production regulations, does not change the characteristics of the milk which has just been milked from the cow, and which goes unchanged into the cheese.