Rolf Beeler Maître Fromager
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Top grades for our Rolf Beeler Selection

Well, if that isn't a reason to celebrate. Our selection of swiss cheeses scored BIG in Max McCalmans new book "CHEESE - a connaisseurs guide to the world's best". McCalman, the first cheese sommelier in the U.S. and meanwhile a Dean of Cheese, put together a list of outstanding cheeses that scored at least 70 points on his scale from 1 to 100.

186 different cheeses made the "best of the world", and we at Quality Cheese are extremely proud to announce that 18 cheeses from our Rolf Beeler selection made the list, no other company comes even close to that score.

Although we are completely aware that taste is very individual, such a broad recognition is certainly no coincidence and a proof that we carry "quality" in our name for all the right reasons. And we take some satisfaction in the fact that no other cheese from Switzerland made the cut. It shows - for instance - that the "cave aged" label of the big importers may be good for advertising, but it is certainly not a proof of quality, not to mention a proof of artisanal production.

Just let the numbers speak: Of our 18 cheeses 17 scored in the nineties! That is 17 cheeses in the top third of the list. It gets even more impressive if one would just look at the top three grades - 97, 98, and 99 points (no cheese got a 100): We have 5 out of 11 - that's almost 50%.

The "Sbrinz" - or Grandpa on the top

Only two products got the top grade of 99. The Spenwood from the U.K. and our Sbrinz. Hence it is worth to have a closer look at this phenomenal cheese. We at Quality Cheese always thought that in the U.S. the Sbrinz did not get the attention and acclamation it deserved - probably because its name is relatively unknown compared to a Gruyere or Emmentaler.

In Switzerland we call the Sbrinz the Grandfather of all cheeses. We find written proof of its existence in the Middle Ages. And there is also the claim that it is the ancestor of the Parmigiano Reggiano: In these times milk was seasonal and cheesemaking a way to conserve it. Thus for centuries the italians lead mules packed with the big Sbrinz wheels over the huge passes of the Swiss Alps. With time, probably tired of the strenous journey, they started to copy it - and the Parmigiano was born.

Although similar to the Parmigiano in taste the Sbrinz, raked twice during the process, is smoother and less salty than its italian counterpart. And the Sbrinz' versatility is unmatched worldwide. It was recognized as the cheese that goes with the most varieties of wine, even champagne and beer. And at the slow food show in Italy in 1998 Rolf Beelers the Sbrinz beat all the Parmigianos in a blind tasting on their home turf.

Oh yes, one more word. This Grandpa is no fragile elderly, he is as robust as one can get: You can store a Sbrinz for years.