Montasio DOP Stravecchio Fiordimaso: Over 18 Months of Maturation
Montasio DOP Stravecchio Fiordimaso is a hard cheese made from cow's milk and aged for more than 18 months, sold as a whole wheel of approximately 6 kg. The paste is compact and crumbly, with sparse, fine eyes and a bold, aromatic, pleasantly spicy flavour. Naturally lactose-free thanks to the long maturation, it is built for professional kitchens: grating, shaving and premium cheese boards.
What Is Montasio DOP
Montasio is one of the great Alpine cheeses of north-eastern Italy. Its origins are documented in the thirteenth century around the Benedictine abbey of Moggio Udinese, in the Julian Alps, and the cheese takes its name from the Jof di Montasio massif. It has held the Protected Designation of Origin since 1996 (Reg. EC 1107/96): production is allowed only in Friuli Venezia Giulia and in the eastern provinces of Veneto. The designation Stravecchio identifies wheels matured for a minimum of 18 months, the longest ageing class in the Montasio DOP range.
The Producer: CA.FORM and the Fiordimaso Brand
Fiordimaso is the brand of CA.FORM S.r.l., based in Thiene, in the province of Vicenza, at the foot of the Asiago plateau. The dairy was founded in 1887 and inaugurated in January 1888; since 2012 it has been part of the Latterie Venete 1887 group. With around 120,000 wheels of Montasio DOP and 260,000 wheels of Asiago DOP produced every year, CA.FORM is the leading private Italian company for these two designations, certified ISO 9001, BRC and IFS.
Organoleptic Profile
After more than 18 months in the maturing rooms the paste turns straw-yellow, compact and crumbly, with a grainy texture that breaks into flakes under the knife. The rind is dry, with a brown tone. The flavour is decisive and aromatic, with a pleasant spicy note that never becomes aggressive and a long finish of toasted dried fruit. The wheel complies with the DOP standard: 5.5 to 8 kg, diameter 27 to 35 cm.
Professional Uses
- Grating: a full-flavoured alternative to other hard cheeses on risotto, pasta and soups; about 10 g per portion as a finishing touch.
- Frico friulano: the canonical recipe of Friuli, melting Montasio with potatoes and onion in a pan; the Stravecchio adds depth to the classic version.
- Cheese board: serve at 16-18 degrees C in flakes broken with an almond knife, paired with honey and fruit preserves.
- Shavings on carpaccio, salads and tartare instead of long-aged grana-style cheeses.
- Rinds: simmer the cleaned rind in vegetable broths and minestrone for extra umami.
Storage and Handling
Store the whole wheel at +2 to +8 degrees C. Once cut, protect the surface with cheese paper or vacuum bags and keep refrigerated; bring to 16-18 degrees C before serving so the aromatic profile opens fully. Avoid freezing: the crumbly structure of a Stravecchio would break down. Like all long-aged cheeses, it is naturally lactose-free.
Delivery and Logistics in Switzerland
B2B and B2C refrigerated delivery across Switzerland from the LAPA warehouse in Embrach (Zurich). Cold chain at 2-4 degrees C guaranteed by the LAPA fleet across Zurich, Winterthur, Uster, Aargau, St. Gallen, Lucerne, Bern and Basel. For Ticino (Lugano, Mendrisio), French-speaking Switzerland (Geneva, Lausanne, Fribourg), Valais and mountain regions (Chur, Davos) delivery within 24-48 hours via certified food-grade partners such as Swiss Post Frigo-Express, Planzer and Galliker.
Who It Is For
Ideal for Italian restaurants, pizzerias, gastronomie and delicatessens with a cutting counter, hotels, catering and Italian grocery stores looking for a DOP hard cheese with strong character, as well as private customers who want a whole wheel for events or shared purchases. Sold as a whole wheel of approximately 6 kg, billed by actual weight.
