Dairy production in Friuli began in 1200 A.D. thanks to the efforts of the Benedictine monks of the Moggio Udinese Abbey. Montasio cheese takes its appellation from the mountain range in the Julian Alps of the same name, on the southern slopes of which there lies a vast plateau, home to the Montasio dairies and a wealth of pastures.

A second unifying element was the establishment of the Dairy School in S. Vito al Tagliamento in 1924. The crowning achievement of the dairy industry, in 1955 Montasio cheese was included in Italian legislation as one of the protected speciality cheeses, and in 1996 it received DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) status.

When the milk has been collected, the rennet is added. The pH and temperature are checked and then the curd is taken out, arranged in a "fagotto" (parcel) and placed into the mould. The cheeses are pressed, turned and then salted in brine and by hand.

This is followed by drying and finally maturing. Once matured, the wheels of cheese are cleaned and branded, but only those that meet the requirements of the test panel can be sold.

Montasio DOP can be recognised by the characteristic “Montasio” name in slanted, straight and backwards writing added to the cheese rind as soon as it is ready.

The area that produces Montasio DOP includes the whole region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, from the provinces of Belluno and Treviso, and part of the provinces of Padua and Venice.

By Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Montasio