Andy Montoya
Montasio is a creamy, unpasteurised cow's milk cheese from the Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto provinces in Italy. It was first made by Benedictine monks around the year 1200 and is now a DOP (PDO) product, meaning it can only be produced in a specific region of Italy using traditional methods. The Mezzano variety of Montasio is medium-cured, matured for 4 to 10 months, and has a fuller, more pronounced flavour. It can be enjoyed on its own, in sandwiches, salads, or baked goods, and pairs well with Merlot.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Milk | Cow's milk |
| Fat Content | Full fat |
| Texture | Compact |
| Colour | White or light yellow |
| Rind | Smooth and elastic, light brown in colour |
| Ageing | 4 to 9 months |
| Taste | Sweet and nutty, full-bodied, aromatic |
| Pairing | Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot |
| Variants | Montasio Fresco, Montasio Stagionato, Montasio Stravecchio |
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What You'll Learn
Montasio Mezzano is a medium-cured cheese
The flavour of Montasio Mezzano is fuller and more pronounced than that of its younger counterpart, Montasio Fresco. It has a sweet and nutty taste with a full-bodied, savoury and aromatic flavour. The cheese pairs well with red wines such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Montasio Mezzano is made from full-fat, unpasteurised cow's milk, using both the morning and evening milkings. The milk is heated to a temperature between 32°-34°C, which prevents the curd from drying excessively, and it is salted when dry. The cheese gets its name from the Montasio mountain range north of Venice, where it was first produced in monasteries around the year 1200.
Today, Montasio Mezzano is still produced in the same region of Italy, and its production techniques carefully preserve age-old traditions. The cheese is identified by marks of origin placed on the heel, with the word 'Montasio' repeated diagonally. It is also distinguished by the diagonal marking 'Montasio' on the sides of the cheese.
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It has a compact texture and a light yellow colour
The Italian cheese Montasio Mezzano is characterised by its compact texture and light yellow colour. This distinctive texture and colour are the result of careful craftsmanship and ageing processes.
Montasio Mezzano is a semi-hard cheese that falls into the medium-cured category. It is aged between 4 to 10 months, with a minimum of 120 days. During this ageing process, the cheese transforms from a light yellow to a darker hue, and its texture becomes more granular and brittle. The ageing process also enhances the flavour of the cheese, taking it from mild and creamy to a fuller, more pronounced taste.
The compact texture of Montasio Mezzano is a defining characteristic, setting it apart from other cheeses. This texture is achieved through specific production techniques, such as heating the milk to a precise temperature of 32°-34°C, which prevents excessive drying of the curd. The result is a cheese that is dense and tightly packed, contributing to its overall appealing mouthfeel.
The light yellow colour of Montasio Mezzano is a result of the high-quality milk used in its production. The cheese is made from full-fat milk, sourced from both morning and evening milkings. This milk is of exceptional quality due to the climate, land, and fodder of the production region, as well as the rearing methods employed by local herdsmen. The cows' diet and grazing habits impart a unique flavour and scent of mountain pastures to the milk, which carries over into the cheese.
The combination of its compact texture and light yellow colour makes Montasio Mezzano a visually appealing and distinctive cheese. These characteristics also contribute to its overall flavour and texture profile, making it a versatile ingredient in various dishes.
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It is made from full-fat cow's milk
Montasio Mezzano is a semi-hard cheese made from full-fat cow's milk. The cheese originated in the Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto provinces of Italy and was first made by Benedictine monks around the year 1200. The monks developed the recipe to utilise surplus milk. Today, it is still produced in this specific region of Italy, following the same traditional methods.
Friuli Venezia Giulia, where Montasio Mezzano is produced, is a high Alpine region. The milk used to make the cheese comes from cows that graze in the mountain pastures, which gives the cheese its unique flavour and scent. The flavour is described as sweet and nutty, with lactic hints of fresh milk, yoghurt, and cream. The texture of the cheese is compact, with a white or light yellow colour and small, evenly distributed holes.
To make the cheese, the morning and evening milk is heated to a temperature between 32°C and 34°C, which prevents the curd from drying excessively. The curd is then salted when dry. Montasio Mezzano is aged for between 4 to 10 months, resulting in a fuller, more pronounced flavour. As the cheese ages, it becomes more granular and its rind becomes darker and drier.
Montasio Mezzano can be enjoyed on its own or in sandwiches, salads, or baked goods. It pairs well with fresh vegetables and is excellent for preparing meat dishes, pasta, and polenta. When grated, it can be used to dress pasta, soups, dumplings, and ravioli.
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It is aged for 4-10 months
Montasio is a traditional Italian cheese with a long history, originating in the Italian Alps. It is a semi-hard, creamy, unpasteurised cow's milk cheese, with a compact texture and a white or light yellow colour. The cheese is known for its small, evenly distributed holes and a rind that starts off smooth and elastic but becomes grainy, brittle and darker as it ages.
Montasio Mezzano is a medium-cured version of this cheese, aged for 4-10 months. During this time, the cheese develops a fuller, more pronounced flavour and a slightly darker rind. The Mezzano variety is often imported to the US, where it is enjoyed either on its own or in sandwiches, salads or baked goods. It pairs well with fresh vegetables and is excellent for preparing meat dishes, pasta and polenta.
The ageing process is key to the development of Montasio cheese's unique characteristics. It was initially created by Benedictine monks around the year 1200 to utilise surplus milk. The monks developed a technique that allowed the cheese to be suitable for long ageing, and this tradition has been carefully preserved for centuries.
Today, Montasio Mezzano is still produced following these age-old methods. The ageing process gives the cheese its distinctive flavour and texture, transforming it from a mild, creamy cheese to one with a fuller, more savoury character. This ageing process also affects the appearance of the cheese, as the rind darkens and the cheese itself becomes more granular and crumbly, making it ideal for grating.
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It pairs well with red wines
Montasio is a creamy, unpasteurised cow's milk cheese from the Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto provinces of Italy. It was first made by Benedictine monks around the year 1200 in Moggio Udinese, and its name comes from Mount Jôf di Montasio, near where it was created. It is now produced only in a specific region of Italy, following traditional methods, and is considered a close relative of Asiago cheese.
Montasio Mezzano is a medium-cured variety of this cheese, aged between 4 to 10 months. It has a sweet and nutty taste with a full-bodied, savoury and aromatic flavour. This variety of Montasio pairs well with red wines. It is best enjoyed with medium-bodied reds, such as Merlot, or other red wine varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon.
When pairing cheese with red wine, it is important to consider the wine's body, flavour, and tannins. Medium-bodied red wines like Merlot tend to have softer tannins and fruity notes, which complement the sweetness and nuttiness of Montasio Mezzano. Cabernet Sauvignon, on the other hand, is a full-bodied wine with higher tannins and stronger flavours, making it a good match for the more pronounced flavour of Montasio Mezzano.
The key to a successful pairing is balance and harmony between the cheese and wine. The wine should enhance the flavours of the cheese, and vice versa. The sweetness and nuttiness of Montasio Mezzano provide an interesting contrast to the fruity notes commonly found in medium-bodied reds like Merlot. Meanwhile, the more intense flavours of Cabernet Sauvignon can stand up to the fuller, more savoury character of the cheese.
In addition to enjoying Montasio Mezzano with red wines, it is also delicious on its own or in sandwiches. It can be added to salads, savoury strudels, pies, and other baked goods. This versatile cheese also complements fresh vegetables and is excellent for preparing meat dishes, pasta, and polenta.
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Frequently asked questions
Montasio Mezzano is a medium-cured cheese with a sweet and nutty taste and a full-bodied flavour. It is aged between 4 to 10 months and has a more pronounced flavour than the Fresco variety.
Montasio Mezzano is produced in the high Alpine region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia in Italy. It was initially a monastery cheese, but today it is produced only in this specific region of Italy following traditional methods.
Montasio Mezzano is a semi-hard, creamy, unpasteurised cow's milk cheese with a compact texture and a white or light yellow colour. It has evenly distributed small holes and a smooth, light brown rind that becomes grainy, brittle and darker as it ages.
Montasio Mezzano is made from full-fat milk, using both the morning and evening milkings. The milk is heated to a temperature between 32°-34°C to avoid drying the curd excessively, and it is salted when dry.
Montasio Mezzano has a sweet and nutty taste with a full-bodied, savoury and aromatic flavour. It pairs well with red wines such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
