Arrowine to cut open rare 200-pound Swiss cheese wheel this Saturday

Cheese lovers, mark your calendars: Arrowine is hosting a once-in-a-lifetime cheese event this Saturday at 1 p.m., featuring the only Gotthelf Emmentaler AOP wheel in the entire DC–Virginia region.

This isn’t your average grocery store Swiss cheese. The 200-pound, 35-inch wheel represents a living piece of Alpine heritage, crafted by the only producer in the world making Gotthelf Emmentaler AOP—just two wheels per day, using 13th-century traditional methods.

Special guest Joe Salonia from Gourmino Cheese will lead the ceremonial wheel cutting and share the fascinating story behind this extraordinary cheese, which is aged 14+ months in mountain caves and hand-washed weekly with water and salt. It’s the only Emmentaler carrying the prestigious Slow Food label and is extremely rare in the United States.

The celebration promises a festive Alpine atmosphere complete with wine, champagne, and plenty of good cheer. (Lederhosen encouraged!)

Whether you’re a cheese connoisseur or simply curious about artisanal food traditions, this is your opportunity to see, smell, and taste authentic Swiss cheese made the way it has been for centuries.

The event is free and open to all. Bring your family, your appetite, and your sense of adventure.

For more information, see Arrowine’s Instagram page.

Sponsor and writer of The Nose That Knows biweekly ARLnow column. Arrowine is a local store offering artisan wines, cheeses, craft beer, gourmet foods and more.

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