Organic Cow’s Milk Cheese Drunken With Red Grapes – “Ciok”

Drunken cheeses were inspired by the custom, born centuries ago, of hiding cheese in fermenting grape marc to conceal it from plunderers during wars or from the land owner during the official tally of goods at the end of the year with the farmers.
Moreover, in some ancient manuscripts written by Giovanni Barpo, a clerk from Belluno town (north of Italy), there already are references to cheese treated with grape marc on the surface in order to obtain a better preservation of the whole wheel. Grape marc coming from red wine in fact is rich in tannin, a natural preservative.
Today, with the current production process, the cheese wheel is steeped in grape marc for 10-15 days, then it is dried and after a brief maturation period in vacuum-packing it is ready for tasting.

500 g.

Ageing: Slow (7 – 12 months)
Cheese type: Organic
Milk type: Cow
Heat treatment: Pasteurised milk
Groups: Affinés

INGREDIENTS
Organic cow’s MILK, salt, rennet, traces of organic grape marc (Merlot and Cabernet) on the rind

THE MILK
Production Area: North of Italy
Type: cow
Treatment: pasteurised

FEATURES
Rind: wrinkled, burgundy in colour, with grape marc residues on the surface
Paste: straw-yellow in colour, compact, with a semi-hard texture yet still friable
Perfume intense of grape marc on the rind, vegetal and fruity as for the paste, with a significant wine cellar scent due to the grape marc of Cabernet and Merlot
Taste: significantly sapid and slightly spicy, with sweet notes and umami aroma
Ageing: 6 – 12 months

PRIZES
Global Cheese Awards 2014