Stravecchio
Italian for extra old, the label for the longest-aged grades of grana, Asiago and Montasio.
Also: stravecchione, extra-aged, extra vecchio
Stravecchio, literally extra old, is used on Italian cheese labels for the oldest grade a cheese reaches. The age depends on the cheese. Parmigiano Reggiano is sold as stravecchio at around three years, and older wheels are sometimes called stravecchione; Asiago d'allevo stravecchio must be aged at least fifteen months; Montasio stravecchio more than eighteen months. The younger grades are fresco, mezzano and vecchio. Stravecchio cheeses are harder, drier and more crumbly, with deeper savoury and nutty flavour and plentiful crystals. They are often eaten in chunks as they are, with a drop of aged balsamic vinegar, rather than grated.