Montasio PDO cheese

Montasio is one of the oldest cheeses of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and eastern Veneto: its origin is precisely documented in the year 1200, when the Benedictine monks of the Abbey of Moggio Udinese, in the Friulian mountains, developed a systematic cheesemaking technique to preserve the surplus milk from summer alpine pastures. The name derives from the homonymous Friulian plateau - Monte Montasio, at over 2700 metres in the Julian Alps. In subsequent centuries, production spread from the Friulian mountains to the Venetian plain, following transhumance routes and the commercial channels of the Serenissima Republic of Venice. The European PDO was recognised in 1996 by Reg. EC No. 1107/96. The specification provides for three main typologies classified by ageing: Fresco (60-120 days), Mezzano (4-10 months) and Stagionato (over 10 months), with a fourth Stravecchio category for wheels over 18 months. Milk comes exclusively from farms in the provinces of Udine, Gorizia, Trieste, Pordenone, Venice, Treviso and Belluno. The cooked paste develops over time an aromatic profile evolving from the sweet and milky notes of the Fresco to the complex and slightly pungent character of the Stagionato.

• Temperature: 4-8 degrees C, wrapped in cheese paper
• Fresco and Mezzano require more humidity: wrap in a slightly damp cloth
• Stagionato tolerates drier conditions: cool pantry at 10-12 degrees C
• Do not freeze; use within 2-4 weeks of opening depending on the typology

In the kitchen: Fresco on a board with Friulian cured meats, speck and acacia honey. Mezzano as the star of Frico - the Friulian cheese omelette, emblematic dish of the regional cuisine. Stagionato shaved over carpaccio or grated over Friulian pasta e fagioli. Classic pairing: Tocai Friulano DOC, Ribolla Gialla for younger versions; Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso or Schioppettino for the Stagionato.

Certification: PDO — Protected Designation of Origin (EU)

Description:
Cheese made exclusively from unpasteurised cow's milk, with a mild, delicate flavour that intensifies with ageing. Produced in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto. Four ageing stages: Fresco (60 days), Mezzano (120 days), Stagionato (10 months), Stravecchio (18 months). Naturally lactose-free.

Certifying body:
Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Montasio + CSQA Certificazioni

🌐 Official website  |  📄 Production specification (PDF)

• Allergens: cow's milk
• Lactose: minimal residue in versions aged over 10 months
• Gluten: absent
• Pregnancy: suitable in versions from pasteurised milk; check label for the Fresco
• Vegan/vegetarian: not suitable (animal rennet)