I recently received a delicious sampling of some Garda DOC Spumante & Piave DOP cheese! Besides wine, cheese is basically my favorite thing ever. It’s a meal in my opinion, or at least I can make it an entire meal, especially with a delicious bottle of vino.

If you’re looking for a perfect pairing, the sparkling wines of the DOC Garda area, and the hard cheeses of Piave DOP, are really where it’s at. The cheeses are Italian Cow’s Milk cheeses and are from a protected designation of origin aka a DOP. These cheeses are  produced in the Dolomites of Italy, the area Belluno, a province of Veneto. Piave is dense and has a nice bold flavor, with a subtle sweetness to it. It’s absolutely delicious and great for a cheese board, or to grate over some pasta!

When it comes to Piave, there are two different labels. Piave Mezzano is the blue label. This cheese is aged 61-180 days and is great with the Garda Spumante, which is so elegant, light, and enchanting. It’s an ideal wine for this time of year as we gather with friends over cheese boards and wine (at least thats literally all my friends and I do)! Another Piave is the Piave Vecchio Selezione Oro (red label), which is aged more than a year. It’s harder and crumbles a bit more, but it’s just divine! It’s a mild flavor that I also hear when ages longer gets a bit fruiter with a long finish; certainly something I want to try.

Last time I was in Garda back in 2019, I went and tasted exclusively rosé. It was an amazing trip, but now after tasting a Garda Spumante, I absolutely need to go back and do a sparkling wine trip. These wines are bright and elegant, with a lot to offer. The Seiterre Garda Spumante Brut is a wine with five generations, passing their knowledge and expertise, nature, and traditions on to the next ones. For this bubbly, carefully selected grapes were used that best express the territory they’re grown in. The grapes used are Garganega and Chardonnay, one native to Garda, and one well known all over the world. The wine is beautiful and harmonious with beautiful persistence, and is just wonderful as an aperitif.

Make your next cheese and charcuterie board with a Piave Cheese or two and a bottle of Seiterre Garda Spumante! I had a great pairing experience on a Sunday afternoon. By noon, I was already craving my daily cheese fix and I decided it was time for brunch. Naturally, I wanted a cheese board to snack on while I figured out the salad and sides, and loaded up my board with some Trader Joes Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, Pumpkin Butter, Maple Bourbon Pecans from Sugar Plum, and 24 Months Serrano Ham from Monte Nevado. It was a hit! The sparkling wine paired nicely with the fall flavors, soft and delicious Piave cheese, salty ham, and crunchy pumpkin seeds.

If you’re seeking a perfect pairing for your Friendsgiving this holiday season, make a board with some Piave Cheese, and pair it with a beautiful bottle of bubbly from Garda DOC!

Always remember, eat what you like and drink what you love. Please pair responsibly!