Gruyère, hard cow’s-milk cheese produced in the vicinity of La Gruyère in southern Switzerland and in the Alpine Comté and Savoie regions of eastern France. It has a brownish, wrinkled natural rind. The interior is pale gold with pea-sized, or slightly larger, holes and a rich, nutty flavor. Most Gruyère is aged for three to six months, although some may be allowed to ripen for a year or more.