Asiago DOP

As one of the oldest and most recognized producers of cheese in Europe, Asiago is renowned for it’s orthodox methods of production and attention to detail. The name Asiago is derived from the small town in Italy in which the cheese was originally produced. The town of Asiago and its 7,000 inhabitants populate a rolling plain at the base of the mountains.

Authentic Asiago DOP cheese is valued for its history and time honored manufacturing process formed during Asiago’s establishment in the year 1000. Although it had been produced for several centuries, it was not until the early 1500’s that Asiago became famous as an important market for cheese. Since that time the production of Asiago cheese has expanded from the Asiago plateau to the upper Po Valley and the mountains of Trento. Today, four provinces encompass Asiago’s zone of production. Acknowledged as officially recognized zones by Italian law, the provinces of Vicenza and Trento and parts of Treviso and Padua provide the land for the collection of milk and the production of cheese.

Asiago DOP also has two distinct tastes depending on the length of time the cheese has been allowed to age. Fresh Asiago, also known as pressato, is made from whole cow’s milk and is matured over a period of 20-40 days. Soft to the touch and pale in color, pressato is very mild and sometimes sweet in flavor. Mature Asiago, or d’allevo, is made from skimmed cow’s milk and matures over a period of 3-12 months. More distinct in flavor, this dark, hard cheese can vary in the sharpness of its taste depending on the length of the aging period.