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AOC — PDO — Alsace
A cheese with an orange-tinted rind and a powerful aroma, born in the valleys of the Vosges — a living symbol of Alsatian and Lorraine character.
Washed-rind cheese from Alsace, PDO (AOP) since 1996.
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The history of Munster dates back to the 7th century, when Irish and Benedictine monks settled in the Munster valley, in the heart of the Alsatian Vosges. To preserve surplus milk from their herds, they developed a matured soft cheese whose washed-rind technique allowed it to keep for longer. The cheese's name comes directly from the Latin word monasterium (monastery), which passed into Alsatian as Mùnschter.
On the Lorraine side, a parallel and similar tradition was developing in the abbeys in the valleys on the western side of the Vosges, giving rise to Munster-Géromé, whose name comes from the town of Gérardmer (in the Lorraine dialect: Géromé). The two traditions were officially united under a single AOC in 1969.
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The Vosges massif is the geographical heart of Munster. The chaumes — those high-altitude summer pastures where cows spend the summer — form the fundamental element of its terroir. At altitudes above 800 metres, the meadow flora of the Vosges chaumes is exceptionally rich: grasses, clovers, arnica, gentians — all these plants perfume the milk and contribute to the cheese's aromas. The traditional dairy breeds of the area, notably the Vosgienne (a local breed with a white coat barred with black), produce a rich, distinctive milk.
Munster is intimately linked to the pastoral life of the Vosges. Every summer, the drive up to the chaumes was a community event. A festival dedicated to the cheese is held every year in the Pays Welche (Lapoutroie), featuring tastings and cheese-making demonstrations. In Alsace, Munster is traditionally enjoyed with cumin (caraway seeds) sprinkled over the slice — an iconic pairing for connoisseurs.
Appearance
Disc of 13 to 19 cm (large format) or 7 to 12 cm (small format, known as 'Petit Munster'). Smooth, moist rind, orange to brick-red in colour depending on maturation. Supple, ivory to pale yellow paste.
Aroma
Very pronounced, animal and spicy — notes of fermented cream, hay, and undergrowth. The aroma is far more powerful than the taste.
Taste
Creamy and generous, pronounced lactic flavour with notes of melted butter, lightly salted, sometimes lifted by a spicy touch. Surprisingly balanced.
Texture
Supple, creamy paste, almost runny at full maturity, without ever being grainy.
450 to 500 g, diameter 13 to 19 cm, minimum 21 days' maturation
120 to 150 g, diameter 7 to 12 cm, minimum 14 days' maturation
produced on the chaumes in summer, more complex aromas, wilder character
commercial flavoured version, where caraway seeds are incorporated into the paste or sprinkled over the rind
, raw or pasteurised, from the PDO (AOP) area.
at 32–35°C, coagulation in 30 to 60 minutes.
into small cubes and gentle stirring.
in cylindrical moulds, without pressing.
naturally, then salting in brine or dry salt.
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Take the Munster out of the refrigerator 1 hour before serving. It is traditionally eaten with caraway seeds (cumin) sprinkled over each slice, accompanied by country bread or cumin bread. In Alsace, it pairs perfectly with a Gewurztraminer or a Pinot Gris — the aromatic white wine tempers and complements the cheese's power. Avoid tannic red wines, which clash with the bitterness of the cheese.
Since: 1969
Area covered: 7 départements: Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin, Vosges, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Moselle, Haute-Saône, Territoire de Belfort
Key requirements: Whole cow's milk from the area, production and maturing on site, mandatory rind washing
Since: 1996
Area covered: 7 départements: Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin, Vosges, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Moselle, Haute-Saône, Territoire de Belfort
Key requirements: European recognition — same criteria
Family-run — Cheese dairy & Affineur
SAS — Artisanal cheese dairy
Artisan
EARL — Cheese farm
Affineur
Major artisanal cheese house
Dairy cooperative
GAEC
Get listed and reach more lovers of regional produce.
Request a listingAffineur
An artisanal enterprise founded in 1924, the cheese dairy matures AOC Munster and premium cheese specialities. In particular, it produces Hansi matured with Gewurztraminer marc or William pear, as well as a Munster puff pastry, and sells fresh or matured Munster and spring-flower tomme on site.
Among its tommes, the Tomme fermière aux fleurs is matured in Rosheim in keeping with tradition: its rind, coated in a blend of flowers (mallow, cornflower, marigold, strawberry leaf, rose), gives it aromas of curry and walnut. The Fleuri de Rosheim, another cow's milk tomme, is hand-coated with flowers on site after eight weeks of maturing.
Paris
Vosges
Vosges
| Address | 35 Rte de Rosenwiller, 67560 Rosheim, France |
| +33 3 88 50 20 13 | |
| bonjour@lesfromageurs.com | |
| lesfromageurs.com | |
| Facebook page | |
| @lesfromageurs | |
| Visits | Yes |
|
Part of the production is certified organic, since 1997. |
Major artisanal cheese house
It all began in 1908, when Adrien Bertrand started maturing Munster in the heart of the Vosges, in Lapoutroie. This tradition was taken up in 1940 by Paul Krebs, before Gilbert Dodin founded the house that bears his name today. Since 1998, Brigitte Dodin-Baldinger and her husband Éric Baldinger have run the business, which employs around twenty staff; in 2022, their daughter Maritie joined them, marking the arrival of a fourth generation in this family house.
Maison Dodin matures its entire production of Munster traditionally ("à l'ancienne"), entirely by hand, on boards of Vosges fir wood—a timber chosen for the woody aromas it imparts to the cheese. Each Munster is rubbed with pure water every two to three days and turned over, throughout the 21 days required to obtain PDO (AOP) status: a slow ripening, masterfully controlled by the affineur. The range covers classic Munster, Munster with cumin, an organic version, and creamier variations; it is sold directly on site at the house's retail outlet in Lapoutroie.
Beyond tradition, Maison Dodin also inspires contemporary gastronomy, with creations such as "Munstiflette", which showcases Munster in winter dishes—a way of keeping the cheese alive beyond the cheeseboard.
Vosges
Lyon
| Address | 1A Rue du Dr Macker, 68650 Lapoutroie, France |
| 03 89 47 50 05 | |
| demandes-site@maison-dodin.fr | |
| maison-dodin.fr | |
| Facebook page | |
| Visits | Yes — retail outlet in Lapoutroie |
|
|
All production is certified organic, since 2020. |
