Did you know that Parmigiano Reggiano tastes different depending on the time of the year? Have you ever had a time when you really loved it and other time when you found it bland?

There might be a few reasons for your Parmigiano swing experiences.

Few people know that Parmigiano Reggiano will taste and smell different depending on the time of the year it was made. After all, cows are responsible for the main ingredient and, like any living things, they have seasonal diet changes.

Spring made Parm sometimes might be slightly pinkish and have a herbaceous aroma. It is dryer and crumblier than other season's batches. Some find it the most complex of all Parms.

Fall Parmigiano is rich and full-bodied and might even have a zesty bite at the end. It's the most polished and balanced of them.

Winter cheese is the lightest in color. It's delicate and somewhat sweet and has a creamy mouthfeel because of the highest butterfat content.
Summer Parm has almost golden color. It is sharp and might even have an almost acidic aftertaste.

While Parmigiano Reggiano has its seasonal differences, all of them are flaky, slightly grainy texture and with the famous crunch that comes from the crystallization of the amino acids in the milk as the cheese ages. The older the cheese, the more grainy and crunchy, and more expensive.

Winter, spring, summer or fall Parmigiano is probably one of the most versatile and wine-friendly cheeses. It can go with almost any wine and, our favorite, with Champagne.

It's simple and it's a delicious pair!
Just pop the bottle, break a few chunks of Parmigiano and enjoy.
The bready-yeasty aromas of Champagne and musty aromas of aged cheese compliment each other well. Acidity and bubbly freshness of Champagne counterbalances richness of Parmigiano and creates ying and yang on the palate.

There are a few things you need to remember when shopping for Parmigiano Reggiano cheese:

1. Parmigiano tastes best when it's broken in chunks. Cutting it with knife impairs the flavors
2. Never buy grated Parm because it loses its flavor in a couple of days and who knows how long ago it was grated and how soon you're going to use it
3. Ask in what season cheese was made and wineswing to find your best wine pairing