Cheers and Cheese to EU
A Celebration of Prosecco and Grana Padano.
Who doesn’t like that iconic pairing of wine and cheese? When the wine is Prosecco and the cheese is Grana Padano then the marriage is bound to be a successful one. Cheers & Cheese to EU is a three-year information and promotion project (March 2024 – February 2027) and jointly promoted by the Grana Padano PDO Protection Consortium and Next Generation Pro, an association that brings together Prosecco DOC producers.
Grana Padano PDO and Prosecco DOC are authentic products of certified quality, and unique expressions of their regional landscape. In addition, producers both of Grana Padano PDO and of Prosecco DOC are actively involved in the global effort to make agri-food products more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
The aim of Cheers & Cheese to EU is to raise awareness about the PDO logo among consumers and European industry operators, especially in the UK and Switzerland, and to promote knowledge of Grana Padano PDO and Prosecco DOC in both markets.
So, what is Grana Padano and why is it so special? It was created almost 1,000 years ago when the Cistercian monks of the Chiaravalle Abbey in Milan found a clever solution to preserve the surplus milk they produced, making a hard cheese called “Caseus Vetus” by those familiar with Latin and “Formai de Grana” by the locals. The name “Grana” derives from its granular consistency, while “Padano” indicates the production area, the “Pianura Padana” (Po River Plain) in northern Italy.
This delicious cheese has a refined and nutty flavour, increasingly intense depending on the ageing, ranging from a minimum of 9 months to more than 24 months. Each of those aged cheeses has a distinct character, so offering plenty of options for cooking or grazing. It has unique nutritional characteristics, and is lactose-free and rich in calcium and protein, so perfect for most people.
So hows about a good bottle of Prosecco to go with that? It has had a DOC (Designation of Controlled Origin) since 2009. It is created from the work of winegrowers, winemakers and sparkling wine producers in 5 provinces of Veneto (Treviso, Belluno, Padua, Venice, Vicenza) and 4 provinces of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia (Gorizia, Pordenone, Trieste and Udine).
Prosecco production rules determine all stages of the production chain and certify its origin and quality. On the neck of each bottle there is an official government seal to guarantee quality and authenticity. This sparkling wine is synonymous with classic Italian entertaining. It has a light and well-textured mouthfeel, with floral and fruity aromas, balance between sugar and acidity, and a moderate alcohol content. It is versatile, being a wine to enjoy before dinner and throughout your meal – and don’t forget that Grana Padano cheeseboard! Try rosé Prosecco with the 9 months-aged cheese for something a little different!
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