Named after the river Piave, whose headwaters lie in the Dolomites near Veneto, Piave bears some similarities to a lighter, younger version of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Milk is sourced from cows grazing the land adjacent to the river, and this is also the area where the cheesemaking and maturation of Piave take place.

Piave is a hard, cooked, pressed cheese made from the pasteurized milk of two milkings - morning and evening - of which one is usually skimmed. Piave is typically sold at three different ages; fresh (fresco) at between one and two months, medium (mezzano) at three to four months, and aged (stagionato) at between 6-12 months.

The texture of Piave is dense and smooth and firm, becoming harder as the cheeses mature. The interior paste is a rich, straw, buttery-yellow color, becoming slightly darker towards the rind.

Piave has an intense, full-bodied and distinctly tropical flavor that intensifies with age. There are distinct notes of pineapple, citrus and butterscotch and caramel.