Nicasio Valley Cheese Company

Welcome to Nicasio Valley Cheese Company Award Winning Organic, Farmstead, Artisan Cheese Handcrafted in Nicasio, California using authentic, traditional recipes from the alpine village of our ancestral homeland, Maggia, Switzerland We are honored and proud our cheese has been recognized globally, nationally and locally in various competitions including the American Cheese Society, World Cheese Championships, California State Fair and Good Food Awards. The California State Fair 2019 Our cheese was presented with 4 Gold Ribbons for San Geronimo Nicasio Square Formagella Tomino San Geronimo also won for Best of Class - Washed Rind Cheeses Nicasio Reserve won a Silver Foggy Morning and Locarno won Bronze The California State Fair 2018 San Geronimo - Gold Locarno - Gold American Cheese Society Foggy Morning with Basil & Garlic - 3rd place The California State Fair 2017 We are honored to have been presented with Gold Medals for our Tomino & Locarno! A Silver for Nicasio Square and the Bronze for Loma Alta, Formagella, San Geronimo and Nicasio Reserve! Our Foggy Morning is our most honored cheese and was named best “Fromage Blanc Style Cheese” made in North America in 2015. Twice our Loma Alta was the national award winner at the American Cheese Society annual competition in the “Soft Ripening Cow’s Milk” category.  Nicasio Reserve is a three time California State Fair Gold Medal Winner.Nicasio Square has won numerous state, national & “Good Food” awards, along with being a top five finisher in its’ class at the World Cheese Championship in 2014.San Geronimo has won numerous state and national awards, as well as finishing second in North America in the 2015 American Cheese Society’s, “Raclette” category Our Story At the age of 17, our grandfather, Fredolino Lafranchi immigrated to America from Maggia, Switzerland, with the dream to one day own and operate his own dairy. In 1919, that dream became reality when Fred and his wife Zelma Dolcini Lafranchi established the Lafranchi Dairy in the western Marin town of Nicasio, California. Fred and Zelma raised their five children on this beautiful ranch. Their eldest son, Will, our father, continued in the family business, raising us, his 6 children here and living his entire 78 years on this very special land. During his life, Will was able to visit his ancestral homeland a number of times, and developed a special bond with his numerous Swiss relatives. Will and his extended family enjoyed many wonderful meals together, which included a distinctive selection of cheeses handmade by local artisans. The appreciation of these fabulous cheeses left him and us with a longing to enjoy these treats back home. Our family dairy afforded the perfect resource to pay homage to this part of our heritage. Establishing the Nicasio Valley Cheese Company in 2010 has given us the opportunity to bring to reality something our father had only dreamt of. Swiss Master Cheesemaker, Maurizio Lorenzetti has mentored our family in the art of making the cheeses of Valle Maggia to ensure they are as magical here as they are in Switzerland. Our entire Lafranchi family is extremely proud to share our Nicasio Valley Cheese with you! We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!