Latteria Turnaria di Campolessi
Turnaria dairy of 1908 working about 20 quintals of raw milk a day, around 30 wheels, from nearby farms. Its Latteria has been a Slow Food presidium since 2013. The shop opens daily except Sunday.
About Latteria
Latteria is the name of the traditional Friulian cheese made in the latterie turnarie, the village dairies that work their members' milk in turn. The Slow Food description gives raw cow's milk from two milkings, partly skimmed by natural creaming, worked into a semi-cooked straw-coloured paste with scattered eyes that shrink with age. The Campolessi wheel is a Slow Food presidium, and the cheese is on the Friuli-Venezia Giulia list of traditional agri-food products. Wikipedia's article on frico names aged Montasio, Latteria or malga cheese of 6 to 12 months as the cheese for that dish.
Made in: Friuli, traditionally in the village latterie turnarie; the Slow Food presidium cheese is made at Campolessi, Gemona del Friuli
On the plate
Young wheels are sweet, as Latteria di Mortegliano describes its young Mortean. The paste is compact and straw-coloured, with scattered eyes that shrink with age, per the Slow Food presidium description. Aged wheels of 6 to 12 months are the ones grated or fried into frico.
Wine and cheese
What to pour with Latteria
Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Local traditionWikipedia's article on Friulian cuisine lists Refosco among the common reds drunk with frico, Montasio and aged latteria. Its acidity and tannin bite into a firm, savoury wheel.
Friulano Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Our pickA young latteria is sweet, with a mild, milky paste, and a dry Friulano with high acidity and its almond note sits beside it without covering it. Wikipedia's article on Friulian cuisine lists fresh cheeses among what the region's white wines are drunk with.
Friulian Merlot and Merlot-Cabernet reds Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Our pickAged latteria, the 6 to 12 month wheels that are grated or fried into frico, has a compact paste with few, small eyes. A Merlot or Merlot and Cabernet red brings dark fruit and tannin to meet it, and the fat of the paste softens the wine's grip.
Friuli Chardonnay Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Our pickLatteria has a compact, straw-coloured paste whose eyes shrink as it ages. A dry Friulian Chardonnay with yellow apple and stone fruit has the breadth for a wheel of some months, and its high acidity cuts the fat.
The grapes behind these winesFriulanoMerlotChardonnayRefosco dal Peduncolo RossoCabernet Franc
From the source
Where to buy and taste it
Caseificio Val Tagliamento
Dairy founded at Enemonzo in 1903 for farms of the Tagliamento, Degano and Val Pesarina valleys. It makes Latteria Enemonzo, Montasio DOP labelled Prodotto della Montagna and the Cuor di Carnia caciotta; shops at Enemonzo and Ovaro open daily.
Latteria Sociale di Cividale e Valli del Natisone
Cooperative founded in 1924 with 20 active member farms, turning about 120 quintals of milk a day into Latteria, Matajur, Saporito delle Valli, Il Cividale and Montasio DOP, sold in its own shops.
Latteria Sociale di Coderno
Cooperative founded in 1889 as a turnaria dairy, using only its members' milk for about 30 products, among them Montasio, Latteria, mozzarella and smoked ricotta. It sells through its own shops across Friuli.
Latteria Sociale di Mortegliano
Village cooperative with 15 member farms and about 50 quintals of milk a day, worked raw in copper vats into young Mortean latteria, stracchino and mozzarella. Guided visits run during its Festa della Ricotta Friulana.
Spaccio Caseificio Alto But, Tolmezzo
The Tolmezzo shop of the Alto But cooperative, selling its cheeses and smoked ricotta beside cjarsons, frico, biscotti, honey, jams and smoked trout from Sutrio. Closed Sundays.
Latteria di Coderno, Udine (Chiavris) shop
The Udine outlet of the Coderno dairy, at Piazza Medaglie d'Oro 12 in the Chiavris district, selling its Montasio, Latteria, ricotta and mozzarella beside Friulian specialities. Closed Sundays.
Latteria di Cividale, Via Europa shop
One of two Cividale shops of the Latteria Sociale, selling Montasio DOP, the dairy's cheeses, fresh ricotta and butter direct from the producer, open mornings Monday to Saturday, with staff advice on pairings.
Latteria di Coderno, Codroipo shop
The Codroipo outlet of the Coderno cooperative, selling Montasio, Latteria and ricotta from its own dairy, open mornings Monday to Saturday and afternoons Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Montasio consortium has its seat in the same town.
Cheese experiences nearby
Gemona, formaggio e... dintorni
Gemona's autumn cheese fair, in its 25th edition in 2026, held in the historic centre to showcase the area's cheese production, with food and wine stands, tastings and producers from outside the region.
Festa della Ricotta Friulana, Mortegliano
Three-day festival centred on the dairy: guided dairy visits and milk-production demonstrations, tastings, children's activities, and lunch and dinner stands serving km-0 dishes of Friulian ricotta, the dairy's cheeses and polenta from Blave di Mortean.
Guided visit to Caseificio Alto But
A guided visit to the dairy workshop to see milk turned into cheese, then through the ageing rooms, ending with a tasting of the finished products. The dairy offers it to schools and cheese enthusiasts.
Dairy products and farm visit at Malga Montasio
At this summer mountain dairy on the Montasio plateau you can buy and taste its own cheese and dairy products, eat at the agriturismo and, per Turismo FVG, watch the morning milking and meet the cheesemaker. Closed in autumn and winter.
Frico cooking class at Spolert Winery
A hands-on frico workshop at Spolert, a small Colli Orientali winery specialising in Schioppettino, taught in Italian and ending with the dish paired with wines and local products.
Latteria: questions
What is a latteria turnaria?
A cooperative dairy that does not buy milk but works it for its members, one member's share per day, according to the Slow Food presidium site.
Is Latteria a protected cheese?
Not a DOP. The Campolessi wheel is a Slow Food presidium and Latteria is on the Friuli-Venezia Giulia list of traditional agri-food products.
What is Latteria used for?
Aged wheels are grated or fried for frico; Wikipedia's article on frico names aged Montasio, Latteria or malga cheese of 6 to 12 months.
Same cheeseboard
More cheeses from Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Plan the trip
Visit Latteria country
Tastings and tours where it is made, and somewhere to stay.
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Prosciutto Ham Factory Visit & Lunch Tasting near Udine
All 273 experiences in Friuli-Venezia GiuliaBooking links go to our partners (GetYourGuide, Viator, Zen Hotels), who may pay us a commission. It never decides what we cover. Editorial standards.
Sources: www.latterieturnarie.it, it.wikipedia.org. The drawing is made from the cheese's recorded shape, rind and paste, not a photograph.