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Sbronzo

Producer
Casa Madaio
Country
Italy
Region
Campagna
Size
12” tall, 6.5” wide at base and 3.5” wide at top
Weight
7.75 lbs
Website
www.casamadaio.it/en.html
Milk
Buffalo
Classification
Firm
Rennet
Animal
Rind
Washed

Owned by the Madaio family, Casa Madaio is an acclaimed cheese affineur (maturer) and producer located in Salerno, Italy. The family home, a castle with three towers, is reflected in Casa Madaio’s distinct logo. Mr. Madaio feels that the towers not only represent the home, but also the connection of the past with the future. To him, the towers symbolize his three children Angelo, Renata and David and the future of Casa Madaio. At Casa Madaio, both cheese production and the cheese aging facility are small scale. The business is centered at two different locations. The cheese making facilities are in Eboli, along with the central office, while the aging caves are located at Castelcivita, in the heart of the The National Park of Cilento and Vallo of Diano. The area is steeped in history. The caves have been used to age cheeses by the Madaio family for four generations, and the company places great value on the preservation of the history and flavors of the land, working closely with local universities and with the Slow Food movement to further research. Their cheeses are primarily sold to small specialty shops and restaurants, both in Italy and abroad. Casa Madaio makes both fresh goat and buffalo milk cheeses at their location in Eboli. In addition, they also purchase cheeses made at small mountain dairies nearby that they age themselves at Castelcivita. Sbronzo is a unique buffalo milk cheese that is washed in wine made from the Aglianico grape.

Tasting Notes

The result is a cheese with a hard, dark red rind and rustic round shape. Aged for ten months, aromas are sweet with hints of grape must. Flavors are clean and buttery within a dense, slightly friable, pale yellow paste.

Pairings

Sbronzo is best paired with Aglianico wine; a red wine native to the Campania region of Italy.

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