Real truffle cheese from Veneto, aged under ash blended with warming spices.
Sottocenere is a Veneto cow's milk cheese studded with black truffle and aged under a coating of ash and warm baking spices. Deeply aromatic.
We’ll keep track of cheeses you love and send you new finds that match your taste.
By saving, you agree to receive curated emails from The Cheese Store. Unsubscribe anytime.
Already have an account? Sign in for a faster experience →
You’ll hear from us when we find more like this one.
This is Sottocenere, a cow's milk cheese from the Veneto in northern Italy, studded with shavings of black truffle and aged under a coating of ash blended with nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, and licorice. The name itself means 'under ash', and that ash rind is the whole idea, it seasons the paste as the cheese rests, layering warm spice on top of the truffle perfume already running through the wheel.
The paste is semi-hard and supple, a pale ivory color with little dark flecks of truffle worked all the way through. It slices clean and has just enough give to feel buttery on the palate. The flavor leads with truffle, deeply earthy, almost forest-floor, riding on a mellow cow's milk base, and then the spiced rind pulls in a second aromatic layer on the finish that holds for a long time after the swallow.
This is one of the more aromatic truffle cheeses we carry, and the spice rind is what sets it apart. The truffle is real, not flavored oil, and the perfume is the kind that fills the room as soon as you cut into it.
Semi-hard and supple, with a smooth pliant paste that slices clean and gives just slightly under the knife. The ash and spice rind is edible and adds a perfumed grit at the edge.
Pronounced truffle aroma right out of the wrapper, riding on top of a mellow buttery cow's milk paste. Aromatic rather than sharp, with the spiced ash rind adding a second layer of perfume.
Long, perfumed finish that holds the truffle and warm baking spice on the palate well past the swallow.
Buttery and mildly milky through the middle, a soft cow's milk base that lets the truffle sit forward without competing.
A faint browned butter note in the paste, but nuttiness takes a back seat to the truffle and spice.
Deeply earthy from the black truffle shavings worked through the paste, with a forest floor and damp wood character that defines the cheese.
Gentle warmth from the nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and fennel in the ash rind, more aromatic spice than heat.
Ash rind
The rind is a coating of ash blended with crushed nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, fennel and licorice. It's edible and seasons the outer paste with a warm, aromatic spice perfume.
Sottocenere stands on its own, but the right partners turn a wedge into a moment. Regional pairings first — they were built for each other.
Bright Veneto whites and a light Valpolicella give the truffle room to read without piling on weight. Champagne works the same way the bubbles cut the fat and let the aromatics breathe.
A drizzle of honey and a ripe pear lift the truffle without fighting it. Save the strong condiments for a different cheese.
Real reviews from The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills Google Business Profile. Curated by Dom and his team since 1967.
Domenico and his team are fantastic. I’m a chef and I often get my supplies from The Cheese Store — unique products, carefully selected, from top Italian and French cheeses to excellent local ones.
Absolutely loved the cheese store! Everyone was super helpful and friendly. Lena helped us — she was very knowledgeable on all the cheeses: where they came from, what the region is like, what they are known for. It was like wine tasting for cheese.
Ordered several cheeses from them and the wrong items were delivered. Contacted the store and they recognized the error and immediately sent the correct order the next day without any fuss. Really appreciate the promptness and professionalism.
Hand-cut to order the day it ships.
Taste it for yourself →Ships nationwide
