Arrigoni Gorgonzola Dolce DOP | Italy | Cow’s Milk | Blue, Soft-Ripened
Gorgonzola Dolce is the silkier, milder sibling of Italy’s original blue. Made by Arrigoni in Lombardy, it’s a protected DOP cheese crafted from pasteurised cow’s milk and ripened for just 50–80 days. The result is a voluptuous, spreadable blue with delicate veining, high moisture, and a spoonable paste that tastes like cultured cream shot through with sweet salt and a hint of earth.
Dolce isn’t just a softer texture—it’s a gentler fermentation, a slower blueing, and a higher fat-to-salt ratio that makes it lush rather than sharp. The mould develops from the inside out, and the paste breaks down toward the rind into a yielding, almost buttery finish. Ideal for blue beginners—or anyone who wants intensity without aggression.
Gorgonzola Dolce is the silkier, milder sibling of Italy’s original blue. Made by Arrigoni in Lombardy, it’s a protected DOP cheese crafted from pasteurised cow’s milk and ripened for just 50–80 days. The result is a voluptuous, spreadable blue with delicate veining, high moisture, and a spoonable paste that tastes like cultured cream shot through with sweet salt and a hint of earth.
Dolce isn’t just a softer texture—it’s a gentler fermentation, a slower blueing, and a higher fat-to-salt ratio that makes it lush rather than sharp. The mould develops from the inside out, and the paste breaks down toward the rind into a yielding, almost buttery finish. Ideal for blue beginners—or anyone who wants intensity without aggression.
Gorgonzola Dolce is the silkier, milder sibling of Italy’s original blue. Made by Arrigoni in Lombardy, it’s a protected DOP cheese crafted from pasteurised cow’s milk and ripened for just 50–80 days. The result is a voluptuous, spreadable blue with delicate veining, high moisture, and a spoonable paste that tastes like cultured cream shot through with sweet salt and a hint of earth.
Dolce isn’t just a softer texture—it’s a gentler fermentation, a slower blueing, and a higher fat-to-salt ratio that makes it lush rather than sharp. The mould develops from the inside out, and the paste breaks down toward the rind into a yielding, almost buttery finish. Ideal for blue beginners—or anyone who wants intensity without aggression.
Origin: Lombardy, Italy (Province of Bergamo)
Milk: Pasteurised cow’s milk
Rind: Thin, damp, slightly sticky; inedible
Weight: Full wheel ~12kg; typically sold in wedges
DOP Status: Protected since 1996 (consortium regulations trace to 1955)
Texture: Soft, creamy, spoonable
Maturation: 50–80 days
Shape: Tall cylinder, often foil-wrapped for moisture retention
Producer: Arrigoni Battista S.p.A.
What It Is
Gorgonzola Dolce is the sweet, young style of Italy’s iconic blue cheese. Produced by Arrigoni in the Lombardian province of Bergamo, Dolce is made using pasteurised cow’s milk and aged for less than three months. The short maturation and high moisture content create a soft, mild, and intensely creamy blue, with gentle veining and a pudding-like texture near the rind.
Unlike its sharper sibling, Gorgonzola Piccante, Dolce is inoculated with Penicillium glaucum but undergoes less proteolysis and lipolysis, resulting in lower salt, less bitterness, and a softer aromatic profile. The paste develops from chalky to spreadable, with blue mould forming via internal aeration (needling) but never overpowering the lactic base.
Taste and Texture
Rind: Moist, faintly tacky, often foil-wrapped. Protects the cheese but not for eating.
Paste: High-moisture and glossy. Starts firm and buttery, ripens to almost pourable. Light blue marbling throughout.
Flavour:
Cultured cream, fresh milk
Mild salt and gentle tang
Hints of mushroom, wet stone, and sweet hay
Blue veining adds background funk, not spice
Creaminess dominates due to the high water and fat content. Blue mould is present but integrated—not assertive.
Pairing Logic
Dolce is fat-rich, sweet, and mellow. Ideal pairings cut the cream or highlight the softness with sweetness, crunch, or acidity.
Classic Pairings:
Moscato d’Asti, Sauternes, or late-harvest Gewürztraminer
PX sherry or Recioto della Valpolicella
Mild honey (acacia, orange blossom) and soft fruit (pear, fig, ripe grapes)
Polenta, soft bread, or spiced fruit loaf
Non-alcoholic:
Apple or pear nectar
Cold milk oolong or oxidised white tea
Kombucha with apple, fig, or hibiscus
Avoid: big tannic reds, dry cider, or sharp vinegars—these will overwhelm the gentle structure.
Serving Guidance
Serve at cool room temperature. For spreadability, remove from fridge 45 minutes before serving. Spoon, smear, or serve in chunks with soft fruit, sweet condiments, or neutral carbs.
Ideal for spreading onto toast, folding into soft polenta, melting over roasted vegetables, or stirring into risotto.
Storage
Wrap in foil or cheese paper and keep in a sealed container. Store in the fridge and eat within 7–10 days once cut. If surface moisture increases or smell intensifies, trim edges and allow to breathe before serving.
Waste-Conscious Use
Stir into warm cream for blue cheese sauce or dressing
Mix with ricotta for filled pasta (ravioli, agnolotti)
Dollop onto pizza post-bake
Melt into soft polenta with herbs
Fold into scrambled eggs with a splash of cream