Piave

Appearance & taste

Piave is a cylindrical wheel whose size depends on its ripeness: the young “Fresco” measures about 32 cm in diameter, is around 8 cm high and weighs about 6.8 kg; the “Vecchio Riserva” measures about 27.5 cm, is around 7 cm high and weighs about 5.5 kg. On the “Fresco” the rind is thin and pale; with longer ripening it becomes thicker, harder and darker, up to ochre. The paste of the “Fresco” is closed, compact, pale yellow and supple, and becomes darker, drier and more granular as it ripens. Occasional small holes are allowed, but not pronounced eye formation.

The young cheese tastes sweetish and milky; this applies above all to the “Fresco”, but can still be noticed in the “Mezzano”. With ripening the taste becomes stronger, spicier and richer, up to a slightly piquant note that, according to the specification, is never sharp.

The name “Piave” is embossed vertically, alternately upwards and downwards, all around the side of the wheel. Each wheel also carries a batch number with the production date and, on one side, a label with the ripening stage.

Production

The milk comes exclusively from the province of Belluno, and at least 80 % of it from cows of the Bruna Italiana, Pezzata Rossa Italiana, Frisona Italiana and Grigio Alpina breeds or their crosses. At least 70 % of the feed and half of the dry feed come from the area; medicated feed, fresh vegetables, fruit and rapeseed, and urea are prohibited.

A milk culture and a whey culture serve as starter cultures; they are made on site from milk from the province of Belluno and the whey obtained from it, and contain local bacterial strains. According to the specification, they are a kind of microbiological fingerprint of the area. The whole process takes place in the area: milk production, heat treatment, adding the starter cultures, curdling, draining the whey and moulding, pressing, marking, resting, salting and ripening.

Origin & history

The province of Belluno is mountainous throughout, with no plains or hill country, and surrounded by mountain ranges, above all the Dolomites in the north-west and the Pre-Alps in the south-east. The river Piave rises in the north of the province on Monte Peralba and crosses it along its entire length. It rains much more than in the neighbouring areas, and minimum temperatures are relatively low. The cows there give less milk than in the rest of Veneto, but have much more pasture, and according to the specification their milk is richer in fat and protein. Mountain herbs give it its own aromatic note.

Since the end of the 19th century, when the first cooperative mountain dairies were set up in Italy, the method of production has been passed on in the area from generation to generation. In 1960 the traditional wheels were first sold under the name “Piave”; at that time a third of the 10 tonnes of milk received daily by the dairy cooperative Latteria Sociale Cooperativa della Vallata Feltrina went into Piave and the fresh cheese “Fior di Latte”. Since the 1980s the cheese has won several awards at national and international cheese competitions.