Montasio 
Montasio is a cow's milk mountain cheese from Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto in northeastern Italy, made on the Montasio plateau since 1200. It is semi-hard and creamy when young, and harder after longer aging.
Yozh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | Italy |
| Specific Origin | Fruili-Venezia Giulia and parts of Belluno, Treviso, Padua, and Venice in Veneto |
| Protection | PDO (1996) |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Unpasteurized |
| Fat Content | Minimum 40% FDM |
| Moisture Content | Maximum initially 37% |
| Rind | Natural |
| Texture | Elastic to crumbly and hard |
| Flavor | Mild, creamy, and fruity to savory, piquant, with hints of spice |
| Aroma | Aromatic, pleasant |
| Colors | Cream to straw-colored and yellowish |
| Forms | Wheels |
| Age | Fresco: 60-120 days; Mezzano: 120 days-10 months; Stagionato: 10-18 months; Stravecchio: over 18 months |
| Rennet Type | Animal |
| Alternative Spellings | Montasio fresco |
| Also Known As | Montasio Mitica® DOP, Montasio Mitica DOP |
What is Montasio Cheese?
Montasio is a mountain cheese made from cow's milk in the northeastern Italian regions of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto. It was awarded a protected designation of origin in 1986. The name comes from the Montasio plateau, where cheese has been produced since 1200.
The first production techniques were refined at the abbey of San Gallo di Moggio Udinese. The earliest evidence of the name is a decree of 22 August 1773, when the Council of Udine set fixed prices on certain goods and put this cheese at 19 soldi a pound. In 1880 local dairies formed a cooperative movement to support production.
In the small farm town of Gemona and a hamlet called Campo Lessie, families brought their daily cow's milk to the cheese maker. A tally was kept, and each family received wheels in proportion to the milk it delivered. That practice ran for more than 200 years.
A decree of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests dated 16 March 1987 gave the Montasio Producers Association the tasks of supervision, control and marketing. Montasio also inspired the Italian-Canadian cheese friulano, created to evade a trademark dispute.
The paste is semi-hard, creamy and open, with a natural rind. Fat content is 32 percent, and the color ranges from pale yellow to gold depending on age. Wheels are aged at least two months, and some sit for a year or more and develop a harder texture. The rind carries a stamp with the production date.
How Does Montasio Cheese Compare?
The most relevant cheeses to compare Montasio against.
