SarVecchio

SarVecchio Parmesan: An American cheese legend

When you take your first bite of SarVecchio Parmesan cheese, you might think you're sampling one of the greatest cheeses Italy has ever produced. But no. This aged beauty – with its savory, caramelly flavors and delicately crunchy texture – is made right here in America, at Sartori Cheese in Wisconsin.

Produced in the style of Italy's parmigiano reggiano – known as the king of cheese – SarVecchio is highly regarded as one of most award-winning cheeses in the U.S. This extraordinary parmesan can be grated over soup or pasta, sprinkled on polenta or salads, or enjoyed on its own as an appetizer, a dessert course, or an afternoon snack.

Made by Sartori, a star of Wisconsin artisan cheese

SarVecchio is produced by Sartori at a cheese factory in Antigo, Wisconsin. This fourth-generation, family-owned operation sources premium milk from family farms in the highly fertile region of northeastern Wisconsin. Because these herds are located within a short radius of the Sartori plant, their fresh milk is transformed into cheese curd within a few short hours.

Sartori is renowned for their cheddar, asiago, and BellaVitano, a Sartori innovation that's a cross between a savory, farmstead parmesan and a caramelly cheddar cheese. Sartori BellaVitano includes varieties that are made with garlic and herbs, rubbed with espresso, infused with whiskey, and bathed in wine. Sartori Merlot cheese, for example, is soaked in merlot for several days, lending dark fruit notes from the wine to the creamy mouthfeel and slightly nutty flavor of the cheese.

Part of a proud Wisconsin tradition

Sartori's stunning artisan cheeses are part of a long tradition of innovation in Wisconsin. We've been making cheese here since before we were a state, and our over 1,200 licensed cheesemakers and more than 90 Master Cheesemakers are constantly finding new ways to transform milk, salt, enzymes, and cultures into the most extraordinary cheeses. Along with SarVecchio Parmesan, you'll find incredible cheeses here like the pungent Aged Brick from Widmer's Cheese Cellars; Dunbarton Blue from Roelli Cheese Haus; and Dragon's Breath Cheddar Cheese from Henning's Cheese, a cheddar infused with habanero pepper.

What is SarVecchio cheese?

A grana-style cheese

SarVecchio Parmesan is a grana-style cheese, placing it in the same family as parmigiano reggiano and grana padano, two powerhouse Italian varieties. The curds of grana-style cheeses are milled to rice-sized grains during the cheesemaking process, extracting more moisture to create a dryer, firmer, crumbly texture with higher acidity.

A parmesan cheesemaking process

SarVecchio is produced with techniques similar to those used for parmigiano reggiano. A combination of whole milk and skim milk is coagulated with calf rennet and acidified with fermented whey. The curds are cut and cooked in large vats, then drained of whey and pressed into large molds. The cheese is immersed in brine for several weeks, washed in olive oil, and left to age for at least 20 months.

Big flavor, crunchy texture

SarVecchio Parmesan blends salty, sweet, and nutty flavors with fruity notes and hints of lightly roasted caramel. Aged to crumbly perfection, this parmesan has a grainy texture with calcium crystals that add a bit of crunch. The color of the cheese is light gold on the inside, with a slightly darker cream color on the rind.

What to pour and pair with SarVecchio

Choosing wine, beer, and spirits

As a bold-flavored cheese, SarVecchio does best with beverages that can match its intensity. For wines, a chianti, pinot noir, malbec, syrah, or riesling will complement this cheese well, while a champagne or prosecco will offer a nice contrast. For beers, think a hearty IPA or a dark malty ale. SarVecchio blooms beautifully when paired with stronger offerings – try a port, nocino, madeira, sherry, or grappa.

Cooking with SarVecchio

In the kitchen, SarVecchio boosts the flavor profile of pasta, polenta, and roasted potatoes. Shred it over Caesar or summer salads or top your favorite pizza with a fine layer of grated SarVecchio. This cheese is a natural for lasagna, eggplant, or chicken parmesan.

Preparing a charcuterie board

The cheese board is where SarVecchio really stands out. Pair slices of this aged parmesan with crusty artisan bread, black olives, dried nuts, slices of fennel, or thinly cut celery. For a dessert course, try pairing a honey-drizzled slice of SarVecchio with squares of dark chocolate, fresh figs, pecans, and walnuts, dried pineapple, or red grapes.