Gorgonzola DOP — Blue Cheese of Piedmont and Lombardia

Gorgonzola, Milan province, Lombardia — the cheese is named for the town of Gorgonzola near Milan where it was historically produced. The DOP zone now extends to include Piedmont. Production is documented from the 11th century. The piccante/dolce differentiation reflects the introduction of modern production techniques in the 20th century that allowed controlled production of the younger, creamier dolce version.

Gorgonzola DOP is one of Italy's two great blue cheeses (the other is Gorgonzola's less famous cousin, Castelmagno) — a cow's milk cheese from the Piedmont and Lombardia DOP zone, inoculated with Penicillium glaucum mould, aged for a minimum of 50 days (Gorgonzola dolce, creamy and mild) or 80+ days (Gorgonzola piccante, drier, more intensely veined and flavoured). The two versions are effectively different cheeses. Dolce is spreadable, mild, and sweet-dairy with just a hint of blue; piccante is dense, intensely flavoured, with aggressive mould flavour and a crystalline texture near the rind. Gorgonzola piccante over pasta, risotto, or polenta is one of the great flavouring agents in Italian cooking.

Gorgonzola dolce at room temperature is almost white, spreadable like soft butter, with a mild, sweet dairy base and a gentle blue note. Piccante is yellow-ivory with the characteristic blue-green veining, dense and crumbly, with an aggressive, complex flavour that fills the palate with mould, salt, and slightly sharp blue intensity. With acacia honey and walnut bread, piccante is one of the great Italian cheese experiences.