ON THE ALP
An eye opening trip into the Swiss Alps.
A connection to the land, a deep appreciation for tradition and a glimpse into the future. We have worked with Rachael Sills and Käseswiss, for many years; whose business revolves around sourcing, representing and advocating for “alpine cheese”.
Along with Gruyere, Raclette, Tête De Moine, Rachael is the brains behind our Gruyere Alpage and L’Etivaz, both true examples of “alpine cheese”.
A term, that has been misused, abused, saturated; but it was beautifully refreshing to experience the origins of this special category. True alpine cheese is made exclusively in summer, on high altitude alps, where animals graze upon abundant, diverse pasture. The families making these cheeses participate in a seasonal trek up into the alps, usually in May, to heights of 1200-1800m. For the season, they live on the alp with their animals; milking and producing cheese. A special kind of work dedicated to a special kind of people. I was lucky enough to go with Rachael, along with a few newfound friends (special mention to Ana Gonzalez Pinos from Madrid, a true delight to spend the week with), to visit a few of her producers during the height of the season. The experience was one I will never forget.
Driving through these mountainous pastures you feel an energy, a special connection, some sort of fleeting peace that reminds you it’s always been there.
PIUS
Our trip began, with a visit to a modern day, Gruyere producing superstar, Pius Hitz.
Pius has been making Gruyere for years at his dairy, Bergkaserei Vorderfultigen (the location of the dairy, in the north of Gantrisch regional park), but has skyrocketed in notoriety after been crowned Supreme Champion for his cheese at the World Cheese Awards in 2025. A serene part of the world, the dairy is surrounded by rolling hills, alpine peaks and grazing cows. There is no need to seek them out, you will hear them. Most Swiss grazing cows are equipped with bells, an enchanting sound that helps farmers keep track of their herds.
The dairy is also situated below Pius’ family home in which he lives with his wife Miriam and two children. The couple are bursting with positive energy and have been overwhelmed with his most recent success. Miriam tells us she has had visitors at the dairy from as far away as Papa New Guinea, all wanting a taste of this precious Gruyere. She delights at the opportunity to meet new, passionate folk.
The man himself is a towering, yet welcoming character, with a sort of reserved, yet confident charm. We were lucky enough to witness the production of his Gruyere as well as touring his small cellars below the dairy. These are the cellars that housed the winning Gruyere, aged by Pius himself.
Above all, I was most impressed with both Pius and his wife Miriam, as people.
We were invited into their home to eat breakfast with their family and staff. We tried his Gruyere along with a few smaller production cheeses.
A truly memorable experience made possible by a beautiful, forward thinking duo. While Pius has the spotlight, Miriam plays an equally important role, being the face most people interact with upon visiting the dairy.
A “beam of light” is the first phrase that pops into mind.
“Oh I’m just his wife.” “You are THE wife.” “In the end I am just a human.”
A mindset to give one pause. To smile at. To sit with. While I could wax poetic about the marvellous cheeses we tasted and the future of Pius Hitz, for now I wanted to highlight the family behind the Gruyere. Operating a dairy at the highest level while maintaining a positive grace is a feat to behold.
This season has been extremely hot and dry, forcing producers to supplement with winter feed much earlier than intended. Even in trying times, Pius and Miriam remain smiling and there is a general sense of optimism. Remarkable.
CHRISTOPH
Next stop was to see Christoph Räs, a master cheesemaker based in Uettligen (30 min from Bern). Christoph has been producing Emmentaler for decades but has recently paused production to take on new cheese developments. He is an old friend of Rachael and was kind enough to tour us around his region for the day. We headed to the Jura (Swiss side) to view a Gruyere Alpage producer, who was in the thick of the summer season. Operating as a restaurant in parallel to making Gruyere Alpage was one of the most impressive feats I saw on this trip. Dairy by day (morning), restaurant by night (afternoon/evening). While surprising, it all seemed to make total sense to the family working. The vat in the kitchen became the pass, while Gruyere for lunch service was cut in the cellar. Innovation and tradition colliding.
We were also introduced to Lukas Jost. A young, ambitious farmer who has started supplying milk to Christoph. Lukas operates his farm just outside of Bern, milking a small herd with a technique traditionally associated with Salers. He raises the calves with their mother including being present while milking. This reduces stress while also keeping the natural milking cycle in tact. The result is, lower yields and higher quality. A trade off both Jost and Christoph happily accept.
Gruyere dominates the Swiss cheese market and the AOP makes things very difficult when it comes to development/innovation (that’s another 10,000 word story). However it was refreshing to speak with Christoph as there is a generation who are looking to develop the cheese scene in Switzerland. It might take some years, but the wheels are churning, positive change is coming.
L’ETIVAZ
The main event was a trip to L’Etivaz, to learn exactly what true alpine cheese is. We were guided by Caroline Hostettler, part of the tightknit team in the L’Etivaz cellars.
L’Etivaz is a true alpine cheese. Grazing, milking, and cheesemaking is all done in the summer months on the alp. L’Etivaz is also typically a generational cheese, with duties being passed down throughout family. There is a total of 134 chalets, 70 families, that produce L’Etivaz each year.
Cows grazing at high altitude, enjoying the diverse flora the alps have to offer. The resulting milk is nothing short of exceptional. One of the most radical attributes associated with L’Etivaz is that its made over open fire. Copper vats sit atop a roaring, well controlled blaze.
We were lucky enough to spend the morning at a L’Etivaz chalet, at about 1200m, with the Lenoir family. The cheesemaking has recently been passed down from Jean-David to his son Mark, who is in his second year of full production responsibilities.
I have had the opportunity to see many different styles of makes…this by far was the most unique. Minimal modern technology but with meticulous detail to design. The dairy relies on savvy mechanics and true craftmanship.
If one tastes L’Etivaz, one note would be “smoke”. It immediately becomes obvious why. The milk is permeated by the fire, giving a balance to the fruity, vibrant paste.
The curds for L’Etivaz are also lifted by hand and transferred to the moulds manually using a large cheese cloth. No room for error. All of the effort put in by the family and their cows hangs (literally) on the skill and technique of its cheesemaker. There is a hypnotic element to the make, one that has remained pure.
Upon eating a piece of 2025 L’Etivaz, one begins to understand the transhumance, the passion, dedication. Once pressed, wheels are left in the dairy before being collected and transferred back down the mountain and into the co-operatives cellar. It is time for the affineur to carry on this families legacy.
Cheeses are brined before being transferred into the caves, where they are cared for until next season. The ideal age for a L’Etivaz is one year (but even as I write this I realize that’s subjective). The profile on a good cheese is fruity, smoky with a long lasting finish. The comparison to Gruyere truly dissolves here. Once again, L’Etivaz is almost a way of life as opposed to a cheese. It turns a blind eye to modernization, which is beautiful in itself. It remains true to its historic roots, not an attribute most cheeses can attest to.
Rachael has always taught me about connection to producer. It starts there. Not to throw around buzzwords, but to understand tradition and integrity. To taste first and talk later. Her passion has always been glowing in her work and I am honoured to have been a fly on the wall in her exploration of all things alpine cheese.
Copy by LA FROMAGERIE Cheesemonger Jakob Anderson
