Editing Gruyère cheese (section)

===Affinage===
[[File:Affinage_Gruyere_Cheese_in_Gruyères_Switzerland_by_Robbie_Conceptuel.png|thumbnail|The affinage cellar in the Maison du Gruyère, in Gruyères]]

An important and the longest part of the production of Gruyère in Switzerland is the {{lang |fr |[[Cheese ripening|affinage]]}} (French for 'maturation').

According to the AOC, the cellars to mature a Swiss Gruyère must have a climate close to a natural cave. This means that the [[humidity]] should be between 94% and 98%. If the humidity is lower, the cheese dries out. If the humidity is too high, the cheese does not mature and becomes smeary and gluey. The temperature of the caves should be between {{convert|13 and 14|°C}}. This relatively high temperature is required for excellent-quality cheese. Lower-quality cheeses result from temperatures between {{convert|10 and 12|°C}}. The lower the temperature, the less the cheese matures, resulting in a harder and more crumbly texture.

[[File:Gruyeres, Switzerland.jpg|thumb|upright=2|center|The landscape of the region of [[Gruyères]], marked by [[Dairy farming|milk economy]]]]