Its origins date back to the year 1000, when sheep milk was used. With the advancement of breeding techniques, around 1500, sheep were substituted by cows, therefore, the kind of milk obtained changed too and Asiago was produced with vaccine milk.
In the 20s, a new technique involving a brief maturation period was introduced, so that the Asiago cheese is produced today in two different types, the mature version (d’allevo) and the fresh type (pressato).
Depending on the period of maturation, two types of Asiago cheese can be identified: the “mezzano”, with a maturation of 3-5 months long, the “vecchio”, with a maturation of 9 months long or more.
The fresh Asiago cheese is different from the mature version because full-cream milk is used. And the production technique is also completely different.
Asiago cheese must be preserved in a fresh place or in the warmer shelves of the refrigerator. It must be wrapped in paper and closed in a plastic or glass container in order to maintain its original taste and freshness.
The Asiago is well accompanied by red wines of Vicenza and Trento areas: in particular the fresh type is delicious with fruity wines, while the mature type of cheese is better with strong wines such as Breganze Pinot Noir, Colli Berici Cabernet and Teroldego Rotaliano.