Ahrntaler GrauKäseTage / Ahrntal Grey Cheese Days

The Ahrntal Grey Cheese Days

The Ahrntaler GrauKäseTage (Grey Cheese Days) is a culinary event that transforms the Ahrntal valley, located in the municipality of Ahrntal in the province of Bolzano, into a grand stage for a product that symbolizes South Tyrolean rural culture: Graukäse, the valley's signature grey cheese. For about two weeks, mountain huts, inns, farm dairies, and restaurants across the entire valley feature this extraordinary, rustic cheese in their menus, creating a journey that blends taste, tradition, and alpine landscapes in the heart of the Trentino-Alto Adige region.

Graukäse, a Slow Food Presidium

Graukäse is arguably the leanest cheese in existence. It is made from skimmed alpine cow's milk using acid coagulation without rennet. During its short maturation, it develops the characteristic grey-green molds that give it its name and an intense, slightly tangy, and spicy flavor. Traditionally produced from the milk left over after butter making, it was a staple of the Tyrolean mountain diet. Since 2003, it has been a Slow Food Presidium, a recognition that protects artisanal production using raw milk from local farms and highlights its deep connection to the alpine pastures of the Ahrntal valley.

The Festival Program

The event kicks off with a grand opening festival in the marquee (Festzelt) in Luttach, featuring a market of local products, Graukäse tastings, traditional dishes, music, and folk dancing. In the following days, the heart of the festival is the Teldrarisch zu Tisch culinary week, during which a dozen restaurants, mountain inns, and huts throughout the valley offer special menus centered around grey cheese.

• Opening festival in the Luttach marquee, with a farmers' market and musical entertainment
• Graukäse-themed menus in restaurants, mountain huts, and inns across the valley
• Guided tours of farm dairies and alpine huts with tastings
• The GrauKäseFest in Steinhaus, featuring the crowning of the best Graukäse, chef show-cooking, a cheese and farmers' market, and live music
• Final gala dinner with a multi-course menu dedicated to grey cheese

A Sustainable and Authentic Event

The Grey Cheese Days are certified as a goingGreenEvent, with a special focus on locally sourced products and environmentally friendly practices. More than just a gastronomic festival, the event is an opportunity to discover the cheesemaking identity of the Ahrntal valley, meet farmers and affineurs, and savor a cheese that tells the story of centuries of alpine life among the peaks of the Tauferer Ahrntal.