The Piave Cheese Profile: Origin, Taste, And Pairings

Piave is a hard, cooked curd cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk and named after the Piave river in Northern Italy. It is a DOP-protected cheese, meaning the only official Piave is produced in the Dolomites area of Belluno province in the Veneto region. Piave is available in five different varieties, depending on the maturation period, ranging from Piave Fresco (aged for 20 to 60 days) to Piave Vecchio Riserva (aged for more than 18 months). The cheese has a dense, crystalline texture without any holes and a slightly sweet flavor that intensifies with age.

Origin and naming

Piave is an Italian cow's milk cheese named after the Piave river in Northern Italy. The river's source is found at Mount Peralba in Val Visdende, in the northernmost part of the province of Veneto. The land surrounding the ancient river is integral to the character of the cheese: it is where the milk is collected, the curd is cooked, and the cheese is aged until hard. As Piave has a protected designation of origin (DOP), the only "official" Piave is produced in the Dolomites area of Belluno province, in the northernmost tip of the Veneto region.

Piave is a hard, cooked curd cheese, offered at five different ages. The five varieties of Piave are:

• 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 12 months—red label)
• 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. Piave Vecchio, in particular, is a perfect table cheese—one that even rivals Italy’s classic Parmigiano Reggiano. It is harder and savoury, with hints of tropical fruit sweetness, making it great for slicing and snacking, carving into chunks on a cheeseboard, or grating over pasta.

Ingredients and production

Piave is a hard, cooked curd cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk. Named after the Piave river in Northern Italy, the cheese is produced in the Dolomites area of Belluno province in the Veneto region. The milk used to make Piave comes from herds that graze on the mountain pastures in the summer and are fed a mixture of forage grass, hay, whole grains, and corn in the colder months.

The cheese is cooked and aged in the land surrounding the river, which is integral to the character of the cheese. Piave is offered at five different ages:

• Piave Fresco (20 to 60 days aging – blue label)
• Piave Mezzano (61 to 180 days aging – blue label)
• Piave Vecchio (more than 6 months aging – blue label)
• Piave Vecchio Selezione Oro (more than 12 months aging – red label)
• Piave Vecchio Riserva (more than 18 months aging – black label)

The colour of the cheese pate is white in Fresco, turning straw-yellow as it matures. The flavour of Piave intensifies with age, starting as slightly sweet and becoming more intense and full-bodied. The texture is dense and without holes, and the rind is soft and clear when fresh, hardening and turning brown as it ages.

Piave Vecchio, in particular, has been compared to Parmigiano Reggiano, although it has a more tender and supple texture. Its flavour is complex and multi-layered, starting with salty notes and moving on to fruity, butterscotch, and nutty flavours. The crystals in the cheese add a crunchy texture without adding any flavour.

Taste and texture

Piave is a hard, cooked curd cheese with a dense, crystalline texture. It has a slightly sweet flavour that intensifies with age. The cheese is straw-yellow in hue and its taste has been compared to that of a young Parmesan.

Piave Vecchio, in particular, is known for its fruity notes of guava and passion fruit, as well as a slight almond bitterness. It has a more tender and supple texture compared to Parmigiano Reggiano, making it ideal for eating straight. The texture of Piave cheese is also described as chewy and creamy, with delicate crystalized proteins that develop with age.

The different maturation periods of Piave cheese also affect its taste and texture. Piave Fresco, aged for 20 to 60 days, has a white pate and a soft rind. As the cheese matures, the pate turns straw-coloured and the rind becomes harder and browner. The longer ageing intensifies the sweet taste and makes the cheese ideal for grating.

Piave Vecchio Selezione Oro, aged for more than a year, has a red label and a harder texture. The longest-aged variety, Piave Vecchio Riserva, is aged for more than 18 months and has a black label. These older varieties have a more intense, full-bodied flavour and a harder texture that is suitable for grating.

Aging and varieties

Piave is a hard, cooked curd cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk. It is named after the Piave river in the Dolomites area of Belluno province, Veneto, Italy. As a protected designation of origin (DOP) product, the only "official" Piave is produced in this region. Piave is characterised by a dense, crystalline texture without any holes, and a sweet flavour that intensifies with age. The cheese is typically straw-yellow in colour, with a rind that is soft and clear when fresh, hardening and turning brown as it matures.

Piave is available in five different varieties, each indicating a specific maturation period:

• 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). This variety is often compared to Parmigiano Reggiano for its similar flavour and texture. It is a versatile cheese that can be eaten straight, grated over pasta, or cooked with.
• Piave Vecchio Selezione Oro: aged for more than 12 months (red label)
• Piave Vecchio Riserva: aged for more than 18 months (black label)

The longer ageing of Piave cheese results in a harder texture and a more intense, full-bodied flavour. Once fully aged, Piave becomes suitable for grating and develops a complex flavour profile, including salty, fruity, butterscotch, and nutty notes. The cheese also forms delicate crystalised proteins within it, adding a crunchy texture.

Pairing suggestions

Piave is a hard, cooked cow's milk cheese from Italy, named after the Piave river. It has a dense, crystalline texture without any holes, and a slightly sweet flavour that intensifies with age.

Piave is a versatile cheese that can be eaten straight, grated on pasta, or cooked with. Its sweet, fruity, and nutty flavours pair well with both red and white wines. A recommended pairing is with an amber ale.

For a quick, rustic dessert, chunks of Piave can be dipped in honey. The cheese also pairs well with Prosciutto di Parma, drizzled with Italian extra virgin olive oil.

If you're feeling tropical, try a slice of Piave with a pina colada—the sweet, fruity flavours of the drink will complement the cheese's tropical fruit notes.

When it comes to wine, a Zinfandel is a good bet, as well as a Sangiovese, which will complement the cheese's bold, full-bodied flavour.

Frequently asked questions