Frederic Melton
Piave is an Italian cow's milk cheese named after the Piave river. It has a dense texture and a slightly sweet flavour. Its flavour intensifies with age, developing an intense, full-bodied taste. Piave Vecchio, a variety of Piave cheese, has been described as having fruity notes with a buttery finish, as well as a nutty, caramel-like taste.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Milk | Cow's milk |
| Region | Belluno Dolomites area, Italy |
| Shape | Round Wheel |
| Weight & Height | 15 pounds – 2 inches tall |
| Rind | Natural |
| Color | Golden Yellow |
| Taste | Sweet, fruity, slight bitterness, nutty, buttery, caramel, toasted nuts, slight tang |
| Aroma | Yogurt, milk, caramel, toasted nuts, earthy, savory |
| Aging Time | 12 months or more |
| Texture | Dense, crumbly, granular |
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What You'll Learn
Fruity notes and buttery finish
Piave is a hard, cooked curd cheese produced in the Dolomites area, specifically in the province of Belluno in the northernmost tip of the Veneto region in Italy. The name "Piave" is derived from the river that flows through the region, and the cheese has a protected designation of origin (DOP), meaning the only "official" Piave is produced in this area. The milk used to make Piave Vecchio must come from the province of Belluno, with 80% of that milk coming from cattle breeds in the Belluno vicinity, including Italian Browns, Italian Red Pieds, and Italian Holsteins.
Piave Vecchio is a renowned Italian cheese with a rich heritage and exceptional flavor. It is an aged cow's milk cheese with a distinct and robust taste and a crumbly texture. The aging process imparts a rich complexity to the cheese, resulting in a deep and intense flavor profile. The taste is often described as buttery, with hints of caramel, toasted nuts, and a slight tang.
Piave Vecchio has fruity notes upfront with a bright and buttery finish, making it an extremely versatile cheese. It can be enjoyed independently, grated over dishes, or paired with various accompaniments. When grated, it can be added to salads, pastas, soups, or any other dish that calls for a burst of flavor. It is also great for snacking and can elevate any cheese board.
Piave Vecchio pairs well with amber and nut brown ales, IPAs, and wines such as zinfandel, full chardonnay, or a medium red like merlot. To fully appreciate its flavor, it is recommended to serve the cheese at room temperature.
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Sweet and nutty
Piave is a hard, cooked cow's milk cheese from the Belluno Region in the Dolomite mountain range in Italy. It is named after the Piave River that flows through the region. The cheese has a dense texture and a straw-yellow hue.
Piave Vecchio, in particular, is known for its sweet and nutty notes. Its aging process imparts a rich complexity to the cheese, resulting in a deep and intense flavor profile. The taste is often described as buttery, with hints of caramel and toasted nuts, and a slight tang. Its texture is crumbly and granular, similar to a well-aged Parmesan cheese.
The aroma of Piave Vecchio is an integral part of its sensory experience. It has a distinct, sweet fragrance with subtle hints of caramel and toasted nuts. As the cheese ages, the aroma intensifies, developing more pronounced earthy and savory notes.
Piave Vecchio is a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed independently, grated over dishes, or paired with various accompaniments. It pairs well with amber and nut brown ales, IPAs, and wines such as Zinfandel, full Chardonnay, or a medium red like Merlot.
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Similar to Parmigiano Reggiano
Piave cheese is often compared to Parmigiano Reggiano, especially in terms of texture. Piave Vecchio, in particular, is said to have a similar crumbly texture to well-aged Parmesan. The taste is also similar, with sweet and nutty notes, although Piave is a bit creamier and fruitier. It also has a buttery finish, with hints of caramel and toasted nuts.
Piave Vecchio is a renowned Italian cheese with a rich heritage and exceptional flavour. It is named after the Piave River, which flows through the Veneto region in northeastern Italy. The name infuses the cheese with a unique terroir. Piave Vecchio undergoes a minimum ageing period of one year, resulting in a robust, nutty taste and a golden hue. The milk used to make Piave Vecchio comes from the province of Belluno, with 80% coming specifically from cattle breeds in the Belluno vicinity, including Italian Browns, Italian Red Pieds, and Italian Holsteins.
Piave Vecchio is a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed independently, grated over dishes, or paired with various accompaniments. It pairs well with amber and nut brown ales, IPAs, and full-bodied wines such as Zinfandel, Chardonnay, or Merlot.
Piave cheese has a protected designation of origin (DOP), meaning the only "official" Piave is produced in the Dolomites area, in the province of Belluno, at the northernmost tip of the Veneto region. It is a hard, cooked curd cheese, offered at five different ages, with a dense texture and a straw-yellow hue. The taste is slightly sweet, and once fully aged, it becomes hard enough for grating and develops an intense, full-bodied flavour.
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Golden hue and crumbly texture
Piave Vecchio is a renowned Italian cheese with a rich heritage and exceptional flavour. It is named after the Piave River, which flows through the Belluno Region in the Dolomite mountain range, located in the Veneto region in northeastern Italy. The area is ideal for dairy farming, with lush pastures in spring and summer and cool, snowy winters.
Piave Vecchio is an aged cow's milk cheese with a distinct and robust taste and a crumbly, granular texture. Its golden hue and delightful aroma further enhance the sensory experience. The aging process imparts a rich complexity to the cheese, resulting in a deep and intense flavour profile. The taste is often described as buttery, with notes of caramel, toasted nuts, and a slight tang. The smell is equally enticing, with a distinct, sweet fragrance that hints at caramel and toasted nuts. As the cheese ages, the aroma intensifies, developing more pronounced earthy and savoury notes.
Piave Vecchio is known for its exceptional flavour that captivates the taste buds. Its unique taste and texture make it a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed independently, grated over dishes, or paired with various accompaniments. It is perfect for grating, adding to salads, pastas, soups, or any dish that calls for a burst of flavour. When served at room temperature, Piave Vecchio offers a full flavour that is sure to delight cheese aficionados.
Piave Vecchio is produced in five versions, depending on the length of maturation, which can range from 20 days to over 18 months. The colour of the cheese pate is white when fresh and gradually turns straw-coloured as it matures, enhancing its visual appeal. The rind, soft and clear in its early stages, transforms into a hard and brownish covering with ageing, further contributing to the cheese's overall sensory experience.
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Hard, cooked curd cheese
Piave is a hard, cooked curd cheese produced in the Dolomites area, in the province of Belluno, in the northernmost tip of the Veneto region in Italy. The name "Piave" is derived from the river that flows through the region, infusing the cheese with a unique terroir. The milk for Piave comes from the Bruna Alpina breed of cow, which are free-roaming and graze naturally on the grass and flowers in the Piave River valley.
Piave is offered at five different ages: Piave Fresco (aged for 20 to 60 days - blue label), Piave Mezzano (aged for 61 to 180 days - blue label), Piave Vecchio (aged for more than 6 months - blue label), Piave Vecchio Selezione Oro (aged for more than 1 year - red label), and Piave Vecchio Riserva (aged for more than 18 months - black label). The colour of the pate is white in Fresco, and it turns straw-coloured as the cheese matures. A sweet taste intensifies with ageing. The rind is soft and clear when fresh and becomes hard and brownish in colour with ageing. Once fully aged, Piave becomes hard enough for grating, and it develops an intense, full-bodied flavour.
Piave Vecchio, in particular, has a distinct and robust taste with sweet and nutty notes. The aging process imparts a rich complexity to the cheese, resulting in a deep and intense flavour profile. The taste is often described as buttery, with hints of caramel, toasted nuts, and a slight tang. Piave Vecchio’s texture is crumbly and granular, similar to a well-aged Parmesan cheese. Its unique taste and texture make it a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed independently, grated over dishes, or paired with various accompaniments.
Piave Vecchio cheese has a delightful aroma that adds to its sensory experience. The smell is often described as inviting and enticing, carrying a distinct, sweet fragrance with subtle hints of caramel and toasted nuts. As the cheese ages, the aroma intensifies, developing more pronounced earthy and savoury notes.
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Frequently asked questions
Piave Vecchio is a renowned Italian cheese with a rich heritage and exceptional flavor. It has a distinct and robust taste with sweet, fruity, and nutty notes. The aging process imparts a rich complexity to the cheese, resulting in a deep and intense flavor profile. The taste is often described as buttery, hinting at caramel, toasted nuts, and a slight tang.
Piave Vecchio is similar in look and texture to Parmigiano Reggiano, but it has fruity notes upfront with a bright and buttery finish which makes it extremely versatile. It is a bit creamier and fruitier than Parmigiano Reggiano.
The taste of Piave cheese depends on the length of maturation, which can range from 20 days to over 18 months. The aging process imparts a rich complexity to the cheese, resulting in a deeper and more intense flavor profile. The milk used to make Piave Vecchio also influences its taste, as it must come exclusively from the province of Belluno, with 80% of that milk coming from cattle breeds in the Belluno vicinity.
