Asiago Cheese is a semi-cooked, pressed cheese produced in Italy exclusively from cow's milk and protected under the “Protected Designation of Origin” (Denominazione di Origine Protetta – DOP) status. Asiago cheese is produced in two principal types: Asiago Fresco (or Asiago pressato – Pressed Asiago) and Asiago Stagionato (or Asiago d’allevo – Aged Asiago), each of which has specific production and maturation requirements.
Production Area
The farms supplying the milk and the dairies (caseifici) where Asiago cheese is processed must be located within the clearly defined geographic area specified in the production regulations. This area encompasses the entire provinces of Vicenza and Trento, and selected municipalities and regions of the provinces of Padova and Treviso. Portions of the area situated at an altitude of at least 600 meters are designated as “mountain territory” (territorio montano). The production area includes the historical Asiago, Lavarone, Vezzena, and Folgaria plateaus, the Trentino mountains, the intermediate foothill regions of Grappa, Breganze, Schio, Valdagno, and Chiampo, as well as the irrigated plains of Vicenza, Padova, and Treviso.
About Asiago Cheese (Asiago Cheese)
Product Types and Characteristics
Asiago cheese is divided into two main types.
Asiago Fresco (Fresh Asiago / Pressed Asiago)
Asiago Fresco is matured for a minimum of twenty days. The paste is white or pale straw-yellow, with noticeable and irregular pores (occhiatura). Its taste is delicate and pleasant, and the rind is thin and elastic. Full-fat milk is used in its production. Asiago Fresco matured for more than forty days may alternatively be labeled as Asiago Fresco riserva (reserve).
Asiago Stagionato (Aged Asiago / Asiago d’Allevo)
Asiago Stagionato is matured for a minimum of ninety days. The paste ranges from straw-yellow to slightly darker straw-yellow, with small to medium-sized pores. Its taste is sweet and mildly flavorful (savorito) or “fragrant” (fragrante – vecchio). The rind is smooth and uniform. Partially skimmed (semi-fat) milk is used in its production. Depending on the maturation period, it may receive different designations: Asiago mezzano (medium-aged) for 4–10 months, Asiago vecchio (old) for 10–15 months, and Asiago stravecchio (very old) for more than 15 months.
Animal Feeding and Milk Processing
The diet of cows supplying milk for Asiago cheese production excludes certain forage plants such as rapeseed, mustard, and fenugreek, as well as leaves from fruit trees, beet tops, and various industrial by-products (brewer’s grains, distillation residues, silage, and other products). At least 50% of the dry matter in the feed ration must originate from the designated geographic area. Additionally, at least 50% of the dry matter must consist of roughage (foraggi). For Asiago cheese bearing the designation Prodotto della montagna (mountain product), feeding with silage (silo feed) is strictly prohibited.
Milk must be stored in the dairy (caseificio) at a temperature between 4 and 11°C. Milk must be collected within 36 hours of the first milking; for cheeses labeled Prodotto della montagna, this period may extend to 48 hours. Milk must begin processing within 48 hours of arriving at the dairy.
Traceability and Labeling
Each stage of the production process (milk producers, collectors, processors, maturers, and rindless cheese packers) is recorded in special lists managed by the control structure, and production volumes are declared in a timely manner to ensure traceability. The use of lysozyme (E1105) is strictly prohibited in Asiago cheese production. Cheese molds are identified with numbered casein plates and marked with the protective consortium’s logo and the name “ASIAGO” on branding strips (fascere marchianti). In addition, matured (Stagionato) molds are marked with an alphabetical letter indicating the month of production.
