Pistoia Mountain Pecorino

In the mountains around Pistoia, some families still make sheep’s milk cheeses in the same way as they did a hundred years ago. They take their sheep up to pasture in the mountain meadows, use natural rennet and would never dream of pasteurizing their milk (making them a rarity among Tuscan cheesemakers). They raise black Massese sheep, feeding them only hay, corn, bran and oats in the winter. With their milk—available year-round because the breed gives birth three times every two years—the cheesemaking farmers produce excellent pecorino, and also raviggiolo and ricotta.

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Season

The cheese can be found year-round, with respect for the Massese lactation cycle, but the fresh pecorino is best in the spring and fall.

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Only a handful of producers remain, dotted around the mountains. Cheese represents their primary source of income, supplemented by chestnut gathering. Potatoes are also grown at higher altitudes, and beans further down. The Presidium wants to safeguard the pastures and guarantee a fair income to the families who have chosen not to abandon the mountains.

Production area
Pistoian mountain Municipalities, Pistoia Province

Presidium supported by
Pistoia Provincial Authority, Pistoia Provincial Breeders Association, Pistoian Apennines Mountain Community, Pistoia Mountains and Valleys Consortium

Damiano Corrieri
Olmi Quarrata (Pt)
Via Goraio, 1
tel. +39 0573 744314

Romolo Fini
Pontelungo (Pt)
Via della Cava, 6
tel. +39 0573 911104

Vasco Giani
S. Marcello Pistoiese (Pt)
Via Panoramica, 53
tel. +39 0573 630934

Giuseppe Giusti
Pescia (Pt)
Via Orlandi, 50
tel. +39 0572 476994

Stefano Innocenti
Piteglio (Pt)
Podere La fornace
tel. +39 0573 69034 - 69051

Marco Iori
Gavinana (Pt)
Podere Poggio
tel. +39 0573 718427

Paolo Iori
Montale (Pt)
Via Croce di Vizzano, 14
tel. +39 0573 558015

Massimo Iori
Località Cascina di Spedaletto, 1
Cantagallo (Po)
Tel. 340 7256467

Fattoria Lenzini
Borgo a Buggiano (Pt)
Via Ficocchio n.43
tel. 0572 770318 - 349 0645190
fattorialenzini@gmail.com

Tofanelli Piero
Cerreto Guidi (Pt)
Via di Poggioni, 22
Tel. 347 4877329

Remo Paccagnini
Olmi Quarrata (Pt)
Via del Falchero
tel. +39 0573 718672

Luana Pagliai
Cutigliano (Pt)
Via della Buca, 1
tel. +39 0573 68185

Franco Pagliai
San Marcello Pistoiese (Pt)
Podere Uffiziatura
tel. +39 3476057065
347 7026304

Daniele Tondini
Mengarone (Pt)
Via di Baggio, 3
tel. +39 0573 46424

Catia Verdetti
Gavinana (Pt)
Case Verdetti, 26
tel. +39 0573 629312

Slow Food Presidium Producers’ Coordinator
Luana Pagliai
tel. +39 340 5762717
info@agriturismolabuca.com

Slow Food Presidium Coordinator
Michelangelo Vangelisti
tel. 331 2920128
vmichelangelo@alice.it