About Pecorino della Montagna Pistoiese

A raw-milk sheep cheese from the Pistoia mountains and a Slow Food Presidium. Fifteen producers make it with natural rennet and never pasteurise the milk, taking their flocks to mountain pasture in summer as they did a hundred years ago. No source consulted gives it a DOP or IGP.

Made in: Mountains of Pistoia province

Wine and cheese

What to pour with Pecorino della Montagna Pistoiese

Carmignano Tuscany

Our pick

This raw-milk mountain sheep cheese, from flocks on summer pasture, wants a red with structure. Carmignano, Sangiovese with a little Cabernet, is full-bodied with firm tannin and high acidity to meet the sheep's-milk paste.

The grapes behind these winesSangiovese

From the source

Where to buy and taste it

Casa Fiorini

Cheese shop Grosseto

The Grosseto shop of Caseificio Il Fiorino, opened in October 2024 on about 130 square metres, with its whole cheese range, fresh ricotta, cured meats, wine and craft beer.

Antichi Sapori di Pienza

Cheese shop Pienza centro storico

Zazzeri family shop on Corso il Rossellino selling fresh and aged Pecorino di Pienza, Cinta Senese salumi, wine and olive oil, with an online shop for orders.

Pieragnoli Bottega

Cheese shop Vaiano, Val di Bisenzio

Bottega of the Pieragnoli dairy and salumeria at Vaiano, open weekdays and Saturday morning. The house catalogue covers cheeses, pecorini, cured meats, pasta, wine and oil.

Cheese experiences nearby

Fiera del Cacio, Pienza

FairPienza centro storicoevery year, normally the first Sunday of September, with stalls and events in the preceding days

Pienza's cheese fair, started in 1974 on the initiative of the Pro Loco's first president: pecorino stalls and local food, demonstrations and children's activities, and the Cacio al Fuso game, in which the town's six contrade roll pecorino wheels toward a spindle in Piazza Pio II.

Il Segreto del Pecorino at Caseificio Il Fiorino

TourRoccalbegna, Monte Amiata foothillsabout 2 hours

Guided visit of the Fiorino dairy and its natural ageing grotto, then a tasting of four pecorini with fresh ricotta, honey and preserves, bread and a glass of sparkling wine. The 4-hour Sulle Vie della Transumanza route (60 EUR) adds a tour of medieval Roccalbegna and six pecorini. By reservation only.

Caseifici Aperti, Pecorino Toscano DOP open dairies

TourMaremma and Pisa hillsyearly, in spring and early summer, with dates set per dairy; the consortium announces each edition on its site in spring

Annual programme of the Pecorino Toscano DOP consortium: free guided visits to a few member dairies, among them Busti, Il Fiorino and Caseificio Sociale Manciano, showing how the cheese is made. Each dairy sets its own visit dates and takes bookings by its own contact.

Busti dairy tours with tasting

TourAcciaiolo, Faugliaabout 1 hour

Guided routes through the Busti dairy, each ending with a tasting. Four formats: Nonna Emma (4 cheeses), La Pec (3 cheeses with La Pec ricotta), Pecorino Toscano DOP (4 cheeses and Tuscan charcuterie) and Grotte (5 cheeses and a hot first course, plus the ageing cave visit). Minimum 2 participants.

Tasting and visit at Corzano e Paterno

TastingCorzano, between Florence and Sienaabout 45 minutes (tasting), about 1 hour 30 (tour with tasting)

Tasting of four wines with a board of four cheeses, or a guided tour of the winery and dairy (the dairy is seen from outside) followed by the tasting. Tastings and visits run Monday to Saturday by reservation, for up to 20 people; tours leave at 11:00 and 16:00, the afternoon one in summer only for the larger board.

Pienza Pecorino cheese tour (Valdichiana Living)

TourPienza and Montepulciano areaabout 3 hours

Three-hour visit to a working sheep dairy, seeing cheese processing and tasting Pienza pecorino at different stages of ageing. Booked through the Strada del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which lists departures at 10:30 or 16:00; Visit Tuscany lists the operator as Valdichiana Living and a 13:00 slot. Transport on request.

Same cheeseboard

More cheeses from Tuscany

Tuscany wine and cheese pairings

Plan the trip

Visit Pecorino della Montagna Pistoiese country

Tastings and tours where it is made, and somewhere to stay.

Booking 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.doveintoscana.it, www.italybyevents.com. The drawing is made from the cheese's recorded shape, rind and paste, not a photograph.

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