Best South Tyrol Natural Rind Cheese Types
Alta Badia is a traditional cheese originating from South Tyrol. The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk and it's usually left to age for 6 months. Underneath its natural brownish rind, the texture is semi-hard, firm, and compact.
The aromas and flavors are complex, intense, tangy, and milky, with long-lasting toasted notes. This Gruyere-like cheese melts well, so it's often used in local dishes or served as a table cheese. It also goes well with potatoes, cured ham, and dark bread.
It's recommended to pair Alta Badia cheese with fruity red wines or a dry Riesling.
Pair with
This semi-hard cheese comes from the Stelvio Valley and the province of Bolzano, located in the mountainous northern Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige, bordered by Austria to the north-east, which is why Stelvio is sometimes called by its German name - Stilfser.
A product of the well-established cheesemaking culture of the wider Bolzano area, Stelvio or Stilfser is made with milk from cows raised on the local mountain farms. Made for hundreds of years before, it wasn't recognized and named up until the early 1900s.
Bela Badia is an Italian cheese produced in South Tyrol. The cheese is made from cow's milk and ages for 2 months. Underneath its smooth and dry crust, the texture is soft, supple, open, and straw-colored. The interior becomes intense with time and has a creamy, fresh, mild, sweet, and slightly tangy flavor, with hints of milk and grass.
Bela Badia takes its name after the Badia valley, although it is produced in the whole Puster valley. It's recommended to grill Badia and accompany it with a glass of sparkling Brut Hausmannhof Riserva or Riesling Renano.
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