What is Metsovone?
Greece’s only smoked pasta filata cheese with PDO protection, produced in the mountain town of Metsovo in Epirus. Made from cow’s milk or from a mixture containing up to 20% sheep’s or goat’s milk, using a technique similar to Italian Provolone. It is then cold-smoked over beech or oak wood and aged for a minimum of 3 months after smoking.
Taste, aroma, and texture
Semi-hard, smooth, and elastic, with a stretched-curd structure and no eyes or holes. The surface is firm and slightly waxy from the smoking process. Slices cleanly and melts well when heated.
Smoky notes are strongly dominant, led by beech or oak wood smoke. Lactic and earthy notes are equally noticeable underneath. Fruity, animal, and herbal notes remain faint. The smoke is clear but balanced rather than overwhelming.
Cheesepedia taste profile
The values below are the structured baseline in the Cheesepedia app. Your personal match is calculated separately from your own taste profile.
A general profile can describe Metsovone, but it cannot know how closely the cheese fits your preferences. Cheesepedia Premium compares this profile with your personal taste profile and lets you evaluate cheeses side by side.
See your personal matchHow to enjoy it
- Grilled or pan-fried in thick slices.
- Melted into sandwiches, pies, or baked potatoes.
- Used to add smoky flavour to pasta or vegetable dishes.
What pairs with Metsovone?
Classic serving companions from the Cheesepedia catalog.
- Salted Cracker
- Butter Cracker
- Olives
- Breadstick
- Sun-Dried Tomato
- Sumac
Find the right wine in Cheesepedia
Cheesepedia uses an expert-designed algorithm that compares the cheese's taste, intensity, and production profile with the wine's body, acidity, tannin, and sweetness. Wine pairings are not generated by AI.
See wine pairings for MetsovoneStory and origin
Metsovo is a historic mountain town known for its Vlach pastoral traditions. Metsovone was created as a local interpretation of the Italian Provolone tradition, which reached Epirus through centuries of trade and cultural exchange across the Ionian and Adriatic regions. The smoking technique is a regional adaptation using local beech and oak wood. It has held PDO status since 1996.
Storage and serving
- Store in the fridge, tightly wrapped.
- Air travel: suitable if vacuum-packed or well sealed.
Profile sources and methodology
This page uses the same curated record as the Cheesepedia mobile app. Production-style and designation references provide context; they do not imply endorsement of Cheesepedia.
