Valle d'Aosta Fromadzo

Valle d'Aosta Fromadzo is a PDO-protected partly skimmed cow's milk cheese, with optional addition of goat's milk, produced across the entire Autonomous Region of Valle d'Aosta. The specification permits the addition of seeds or parts of aromatic herbs during processing, and the cheese undergoes a medium-long ageing process in rooms of appropriate temperature and humidity.

About this designation

Valle d'Aosta Fromadzo received PDO protection on 21 June 1996 under file number PDO-IT-1504, recorded in the EU register under eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013384. The protected name is recognised in both Italian and French as "Valle d'Aosta Fromadzo" and "Vallée d'Aoste Fromadzo". The geographical area of production covers the entire Autonomous Region of Valle d'Aosta. The cheese is made from partly skimmed cow's milk, to which goat's milk may optionally be added. During processing, seeds or parts of aromatic herbs may be incorporated. Coagulation is carried out sometimes with the inoculation of natural, autochthonous milk enzymes, making use of the spontaneous growth of dairy microflora. The curd is broken and placed in containers called "féitchie", where it may be lightly pressed and turned. After salting, the cheese is cleaned and ripened in rooms of appropriate temperature and humidity. The link to the territory rests on Alpine and Pre-Alpine climatic conditions that influence the quality of forage, and on traditional animal-raising methods that make use of locally growing vegetation. The applicant group was the Associazione di Produttori Valdostani. The product is marketed with a distinguishing mark consisting of the designation of origin and its accompanying logo. Control is exercised by the Ministero delle Risorse Agricole, Alimentari e Forestali, which may avail itself of a Producers' Consortium.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 21 June 1996 under file number PDO-IT-1504, eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013384.
• The production area covers the entire Autonomous Region of Valle d'Aosta.
• Seeds or parts of aromatic herbs may be added to the cheese during processing.
• The curd is placed in traditional containers called "féitchie", where it may be lightly pressed and turned before salting.

Tasting notes

Aostan cow's milk cheese (sometimes with goat milk), traditional alpine cheese aged 60+ days to 12+ months. Pale yellow paste, semi-hard texture, mild buttery-grassy flavor evolving to savory-piquant with age and goat-milk tang.

HoReCa use

Sliced on Valdostan cheese boards alongside Fontina; melted into Aostan polenta; used as a component of regional preparations.

Packaging

• wheel-full-1-7kg
• wedge-vacuum-500g
• wedge-vacuum-250g