Piave

Piave is a hard, cooked cow's-milk cheese produced exclusively in the province of Belluno, Italy, and marketed in five age-defined types: Fresco, Mezzano, Vecchio, Vecchio Selezione Oro, and Vecchio Riserva. Milk must come entirely from the province of Belluno, with at least 80 % supplied by Bruna italiana, Pezzata Rossa italiana, and Frisona italiana breeds. The designation is registered as a PDO under file number PDO-IT-0686.

About this designation

Piave holds PDO status under EU file number PDO-IT-0686, registered on 4 March 2008, with eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013897. The protecting body is the Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Piave DOP. The entire production process — milk production, titration, heat treatment, introduction of cultures, curdling, moulding, pressing, stamping, pre-maturing, and salting — must take place within the province of Belluno. Cows' milk used must originate exclusively from that province, with at least 80 % produced by three breeds typical of the area: Bruna italiana, Pezzata Rossa italiana, and Frisona italiana. At least 70 % of fodder and 50 % of dry matter fed to milking cows must be produced within the same production area, which lies wholly in mountain terrain. The specification prohibits industrial medical feedingstuffs, vegetables, fruit, rape seed, urea, urea phosphate, and biuret from the feed. Two locally produced cultures are mandated: a starter culture with an acidity of 10 °SH/50 ± 3, and a whey starter with an acidity of 27 °SH/50 ± 3, both derived from milk and processing serum containing indigenous strains. The five marketed types differ in minimum or maximum ageing period, wheel diameter, heel height, and weight as set out in the specification. Fat and protein content minima are specified per type. The paste is characterised by a marked absence of holes across all types.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 4 March 2008 under file number PDO-IT-0686 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013897).
• All milk must come exclusively from the province of Belluno, with at least 80 % from Bruna italiana, Pezzata Rossa italiana, and Frisona italiana breeds.
• The specification mandates two locally produced cultures: a starter culture at 10 °SH/50 ± 3 acidity and a whey starter at 27 °SH/50 ± 3, both from indigenous strains.
• Five age-defined types are recognised: Fresco (20–60 days), Mezzano (60–180 days), Vecchio (more than 6 months), Vecchio Selezione Oro (more than 12 months), and Vecchio Riserva (more than 18 months).

Tasting notes

Veneto cow's milk cheese from Belluno mountains in five aging tiers (fresh 20-60 days through Vecchio Riserva 18+ months). Pale ivory young, deep amber when aged. Texture firm to granular. Flavor evolves from buttery-mild to intensely savory-sweet with caramel and dried-fruit notes.

HoReCa use

Younger versions are used on cheese boards and in panini; aged Vecchio is grated over pasta and risotto and is classically served with truffle honey.

Packaging

• wheel-full-6-7kg
• wheel-half-vacuum-3kg
• wedge-vacuum-500g
• wedge-vacuum-250g
• grated-pre-pack-100g