Description
Gorgonzola Dolce PDO Cheese
About Gorgonzola Dolce PDO
Gorgonzola Dolce is one of those cheeses that looks as though it ought to be quite powerful, but then completely surprises you. Soft, creamy and almost spoonable when perfectly ripe, it has beautiful blue-green veining but a much gentler character than you might expect.
Gorgonzola itself is one of Italy’s great historic cheeses, originating in northern Italy and taking its name from the town of Gorgonzola, close to Milan.
There are plenty of stories about how it first came to be. One tells of a distracted cheesemaker who left his curds overnight before mixing them with fresh curds the following morning, accidentally creating the conditions for blue mould to develop. Is it true? Who knows. But every great cheese deserves at least one good legend.
What we do know is that cheesemaking in this part of northern Italy goes back centuries, and Gorgonzola eventually became one of the country’s most famous cheeses.
Dolce or Piccante?
There are two main styles of Gorgonzola PDO: Dolce and Piccante.
Dolce means sweet, and that gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect. Gorgonzola Dolce is younger, softer and much creamier, with a gentle blue character and a wonderfully rich texture.
Gorgonzola Piccante is matured for longer and goes in a completely different direction. It’s firmer, more crumbly and much more powerful, with a stronger, spicier blue flavour.
They’re both Gorgonzola, but they’re certainly not interchangeable. If you think you don’t like Gorgonzola because you’ve tried a powerful piece of Piccante, give Dolce a chance. You might be very pleasantly surprised.
Protected by PDO Tradition
Gorgonzola has PDO status, protecting both where and how it can be made. Production is restricted to designated areas of Lombardy and Piedmont in northern Italy and the cheese is made from pasteurised whole cow’s milk.
The blue mould is introduced during cheesemaking and the wheels are pierced during maturation, allowing oxygen into the paste and encouraging those characteristic blue-green veins to develop.
Gorgonzola Dolce is matured for a shorter period than Piccante, helping it retain more moisture and giving it that wonderfully soft, creamy texture.
It’s a lovely example of how changing the maturation of a cheese can completely change its personality.
Gorgonzola Dolce PDO – Jen’s Tasting Notes
For me, the texture is one of the best things about Gorgonzola Dolce. When it’s perfectly ripe it becomes gloriously soft, creamy and almost spreadable — definitely a cheese where a spoon isn’t entirely out of the question.
The first flavours are sweet cream and butter, followed by a gentle lactic tang. Then the blue begins to appear, bringing saltiness, a little earthy mushroom and just enough peppery spice to balance all that richness.
There’s plenty of flavour, but nothing feels aggressive. The blue doesn’t dominate; it works its way through the creamy paste and leaves you with a lovely savoury finish.
If you’re unsure about blue cheese, Gorgonzola Dolce is one I’d happily put in front of you. And if you already love blue cheese, you’ll probably just wonder why you haven’t got a bigger piece.
How to Serve and Pair Gorgonzola Dolce PDO
- Make sure you take it out of the fridge a good hour before you want to eat it so it can come up to room temperature.
- Classic pairings: Keep things Italian with Moscato d’Asti. Its gentle sweetness and fresh fruit are wonderful against the creamy, salty blue.
- Something a little different: A fruity Valpolicella can work really well if you prefer red wine. Just avoid anything too heavy or tannic — Gorgonzola Dolce is much gentler than it looks.
- On the plate: Right, you’re going to hate me for telling you this: put Gorgonzola Dolce on a warm crumpet. The cheese slowly melts into all those little holes and OMG it is divine. Once you’ve tried it, I apologise for the consequences.
- In the kitchen: Melt it into risotto or pasta, add it to a pizza with caramelised onions or stir some through mashed potato. It melts beautifully and adds loads of creamy blue flavour without completely taking over.
Jen’s note: I buy our Gorgonzola Dolce from a tiny specialist Italian importer who has fresh cheese arriving every fortnight. We can get through two or three wheels a week, so knowing that it hasn’t spent ages sitting around somewhere really matters to me. With a cheese that’s all about being beautifully ripe and creamy, freshness makes such a difference.
Buying Gorgonzola Dolce PDO
- Brand or Producer: Palzola
- Product name: Gorgonzola Dolce PDO
- Milk: Cow
- Country: Italy
- Region: Lombardy
- Strength: Medium to strong
- Vegetarian: No
- Suitable for pregnancy: No
- Allergens: MILK
Sizes and Prices
- 100g wedge, £3.00
- 500g wedge, £15.00
- Whole heel (approx. 6-7kg), available to pre-order
Storage Advice
- Keep refrigerated
- Wrap in waxed paper or cling film
- Remove from the fridge before serving
- Consume within 10 to 14 days of opening
Delivery and Collection
- UK wide courier delivery
- Click and collect from our Pangbourne shop
- Free local delivery available for selected postcodes
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, starter cultures, rennet, salt, Penicillium glaucum
