Parmigiano Reggiano is regarded as the King of Italian cheese and is certainly one of the world’s most important benchmark cheeses. With it’s Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), the production is strictly controlled and its age and origin guaranteed, but not all cheese is equal.

Five generations of the Cravero family have specialised in maturing mountain Parmigiano Reggiano in Bra, Piedmont since 1855 and today source cheese from the San Pietro dairy in the Apennine mountains of Modena.

Huge 35kg cheeses are handmade every day from the evening and morning raw milk of a small herd of 100 cows. The high altitude, clean mountain air and lush pasture combine to produce richer, creamier milk than in the low lying valleys.

After an initial maturation at the dairy for 12 months, the finest cheeses are graded & selected by Giorgio Cravero and taken to the family home in Bra for ripening.

Here, the purpose-built stone building allows the cheese to ripen under natural high humidity and low temperatures for another 12 months, whilst they are brushed and turned. In contrast to most Parmigiano Reggiano which is aged in warm, dry conditions, the combination of cool air and high humidity produces a softer, sweeter cheese.

A reflection of the skill of the affineur and cheesemaker, together with impeccable regional provenance and expert maturation, this cheese offers a succulent, moist, nutty texture and a complex sweetness with notes of fruit and caramel. It is best enjoyed as a table cheese, not just reserved for cooking.

At 24 months, G. Cravero Parmigiano Reggiano is regarded as ‘soft & sweet, not a commodity’.