It is one of the D.O.P. most important italian that is produced in the Pianura Padana Valley. It is a hard, cooked and has a slow ageing process. The first productions goes back to 1134 in the Abbey of Chiaravalle, a few kilometers south of Milan. The seasoning starts from a minimum of 9 up to over 20 months. During maturation, the cheese undergoes chemical-physical and microbiological changes; in these months the shapes are treated, cleaned and turned around every 15 days. After nine months of maturing, the forms are examined by experts from the Protection Consortium; if they pass all the tests, they receive the fire brand of Grana Padano Dop. The Grana Padano aged 10/12 mesu has a golden and smooth crust and a yellow paste, compact, almost without holes. The aroma is fragrant and, when tasted, the compactness of the pasta releases a delicate and sweet taste, typical of milk.
