Gina Freize admits there isn’t a day that goes by when she doesn’t pop a piece of cheese into her mouth. But who wouldn’t do the same when more than 70 varieties of artisan cheeses from around the world flash their curds and rinds at you all day?

Venissimo Cheese in Mission Hills is San Diego’s newest outlet for lovers of real cheese, all of which are produced on small farms throughout the U.S., Europe and Australia. Since opening the 400-square-foot shop last month with her husband Roger, the couple has managed to wheel in an impressive inventory of flavors that range from intensely sharp and nutty to super sweet and creamy. None of them, however, will you ever find lounging next to those salty bricks of Pepper Jack in the mass retail market.

“All of our cheeses are true to their regional roots,” says Freize. The French varieties, for instance, come stamped with the letters A.O.C., which stand for Appellation de’ Origine Controlee – a certifiable badge of honor used in France to combat knockoff versions of Camembert, Gruyere and the like.

Among the rarest Freize sells is Mont D’or, a soft runny cheese produced in an area of France called Haut Doubs. “I’ve never seen it on the local retail market,” she adds. “Yet it’s a wonderful little treat that goes great with bread.”

Equally unique is a bright orange, extra-aged cheddar called Mimolette, also from France. The cheese is shaped into a heavy ball and forms a natural rind that gives it the uncanny look of a cantaloupe. Like many of the other rich and flavorful cheeses perched alongside it, “you need only about three small bites to get your fill,” says Freize, as she doles out diminutive samples to curious customers.

The shop also carries authentic Parmigiano Reggiano and Gorgonzola from Italy, along with lip-smacking blue cheeses from England, Spain and Australia. There’s also a hard and crumbly goat cheese from New York State called Capricious, which was awarded “best in show” in 2002 by the American Cheese Society. “The cheese industry has its yearly Academy Award winners, too,” Freize quips.

Novice nibblers will delight over the product labeling system that Freize and her husband devised. The cheeses are tagged with their phonetic pronunciations, as well as flavor descriptions and animal icons that denote the type of milk they’re made from. Labels featuring a graphic of an electric beater mean they contain a combination of milk from cows, sheep and goats. Additionally, each customer receipt reiterates the information and offers food-pairing suggestions.

“We’re the only artisan cheese shop in metro San Diego,” notes Freize, who left the corporate world to open what she calls her “little wedge” on Washington Street.

“Cheese is one of my favorite foods – and I’ve always been fascinated with it. I can’t eat a pint of ice cream, but I could easily sit down and eat a wheel of cheese.”

Venissimo Cheese is located at 754 W. Washington St. It is open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call (619) 491-0708.