Grana Padano launch Riserva at Harvey Nichols

Following its award win at the World Cheese Awards earlier this year, Grana Padano in partnership with Harvey Nichols launches its premium offering, the Riserva, in the UK. Matured for a minimum of 20 months, the specially selected wheels represent the oldest vintage and are richer and fuller in taste than younger Grana Padano.

Harvey Nichols has selected it's very own Riserva to stock in its stores nationwide which will be firebranded with famous 'HN' branding. Head Food Buyer for the store, Simon Hurrell, visited a selection of Riserva producing dairies across the Grana Padano regions and eventually chose a specially matured 25 month old Riserva from the Ambrosi dairy in Brescia. This particular Riserva is exclusive to Harvey Nichols and will also be featured in recipes across the group's portfolio of restaurants.

The Grana Padano Consortium is confident that the Riserva will be a success in Britain and will continue to establish the cheese as the world’s best selling PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) cheese. It can easily fit in to the British menu on the cheeseboard, for example, at the end of the meal accompanied with fruits, nuts and chutneys. As a tasty pre-meal snack, grated or used as part of recipes, Grana Padano Riserva is as versatile as the other vintages in the range and guarantees to add a touch of class to any dish.

An ideal wine to accompany this delicious product is one that highlights its qualities but at the same time does not overwhelm it. A medium bodied wine is very well suited such as a Brunello or a Barolo.

When consumers buy the Riserva they will know that they are buying the finest quality available. This is because in order to become Grana Padano “Riserva” every wheel undergoes a series of extensive tests focused on its external appearance, the cheese’s structure, colour, flavour and taste. These extra checks are highly regulated by a team of experts at the Grana Padano consortium.

The cheese will also be highly recognisable due to the distinctive ‘Riserva’ branding which will be on the specially selected wheels of cheese and packaging.

Being one of the older vintages available in the Grana Padano range it is richer and more flavoursome. In appearance, the cheese is slightly darker than the more familiar 18 month vintage but it looses none of the minerals present in Grana Padano cheeses.

All in all, the Riserva is still a healthier option than most competitors due to the lower saturated fat content and higher calcium content.

Cesare Baldrighi, President of the Consorzio per la tutela del Formaggio Grana Padano, comments: “Riserva is without a doubt the finest variety of grana cheese available to consumers. We’re extremely excited to be launching it in the UK and confident that consumers will recognise the quality they are receiving with this, our most prestigious offering.”