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The Veneto region of Northern Italy is famous for its wines, led by Amarone and Soave, but it has many beautiful local cheeses that we adore.
Some are exported widely and can be tasted here in Canada, while others involve an exploratory trip to the region. Some of my favourites, in no particular order, are:
Asiago Pressato is a three-month-old version of the most well-known cheese from Veneto. This version tastes milky and has a slightly tangy and sour finish. It is delicious, paired with a wide variety of wines from Italy and elsewhere. I love the texture of this cheese, which is sliceable but still so rich and creamy on the palate.
Grana Padano is another famous cheese made in the Veneto region, as well as Lombardy and Piemonte. We tend to think of this enormous wheel – 35 to 38 kilos – as a grating cheese, but it is also an overlooked table cheese and an excellent choice for some wine tasting. The sharp taste and the granular texture are perfect in some small chunks to go with your wine selection for the evening.
Piave Vecchio is one of my favourite cheeses in general. It is my go-to if I am having Champagne because they’re perfect together, and it is still my go-to with a full-flavoured red because the same clean, bright flavours work just as well with that. There is no need for a cracker or bread; take the rind off the very hard cheese and cut it into some sticks. It is perfect to go with whatever you have. It’s the perfect snack!
Montasio is a smaller wheel, around six kilos, with a distinctive name stamped onto the outside rind. When young, it can be a little milder, fresh tasting or when aged up to 24 months, it has a more robust, spicy kick. This lovely cheese has a history in the area going back to 1200. We usually see a pasteurized version here, but it is still sometimes made with raw milk and is always made with natural rennet and milk collected in the area.
READ NEXT: Lisa Anselmi: Her family's journey from Soave Classico to a Veneto Classic
