A guide to cheese farms in Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

Cheese Farms in Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Caseificio Alto But ★ 4.4

Sutrio, Val But, CarniaSutrio shop: Mon to Thu 8:30 to 12:30; Fri and Sat 8:30 to 12:30 and 15:30 to 18:30; Sun 8:30 to 12:30CooperativeBy appointment

Cooperative formed in 1969 from the small dairies of the Val But. The Sutrio shop sells its cheeses and beech-smoked ricotta; the visit goes through the workshop and ageing rooms and ends in a tasting.

Cheeses: Smoked ricotta (scuete fumade), Formadi frant, Formaggio Val Dolce, Formaggio Alto But Vecchio, Caciotta, Stracchino

Visiting: shop at Sutrio selling its cheeses and Carnic products, guided visit through the workshop and ageing rooms with a tasting, booked through visitzoncolan.com or the dairy, second shop at Tolmezzo

Viale Artigianato 1, 33020 Sutrio (UD)

Latteria Sociale di Cividale e Valli del Natisone ★ 4.2

Cividale del Friuli, Valli del NatisoneCooperativeShop only

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.

Cheeses: Montasio, Latteria, Matajur, Saporito delle Valli, Il Cividale

Visiting: six shops in Udine province, two of them in Cividale (Via Europa and Viale Libertà), staff advice on pairing the cheeses in the shops

Via Gorizia 17, 33043 Cividale del Friuli (UD)

Caseificio Val Tagliamento ★ 4.3

Enemonzo, CarniaShops daily 8:30 to 12:30 and 15:00 to 19:00CooperativeShop only

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.

Cheeses: Montasio, Latteria, Cuor di Carnia

Visiting: shop at the dairy, open daily, second shop at Ovaro (Localita Chialina, Via Carnia Libera 86)

Via Casolari 3, Enemonzo (UD)

Latteria Turnaria di Campolessi ★ 4.7

Campolessi, Gemona del FriuliShop daily except Sunday, 10:30 to 13:00CooperativeWalk in

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.

Cheeses: Latteria, Formaggio salato, Caciotta, Stracchino, Ricotta

Visiting: shop at the dairy, open every day except Sunday, 10:30 to 13:00

Via San Marco 7, Campolessi, 33013 Gemona del Friuli (UD)

Latteria Sociale di Mortegliano ★ 4.0

MorteglianoCooperativeShop only

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.

Cheeses: Latteria, Stracchino, Mozzarella

Visiting: sales point at the dairy (hours not published), guided visits and tastings during the Festa della Ricotta Friulana

Via Micon 15, 33050 Mortegliano (UD)

Malga Montasio ★ 4.5

Montasio plateau, Alpi GiulieSummer-only, indicatively June to September depending on the weather; closed in autumn and winter; phone before visitingFarmBy appointment

Dairy and agriturismo at 1,519 m on the Montasio plateau, run by the Friuli-Venezia Giulia breeders' association. Open only in the summer grazing season, indicatively June to September; closed in autumn and winter.

Cheeses: Montasio, Formaggio di malga

Visiting: dairy shop selling cheese, ricotta, yogurt and butter, agriturismo meals in the grazing season, overnight stays in the malga's rooms, watching milking and meeting the cheesemaker in the grazing season

Altopiano del Montasio, Sella Nevea, Chiusaforte (UD)

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Cheese Farms in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, FAQ

Is Montasio made with raw milk?

The consortium says the milk is worked raw or thermised and never pasteurised.

How long is Montasio aged?

At least 60 days. Qualigeo lists Fresco at 2 to 4 months, Mezzano at 4 to 10, Stagionato over 10 and Stravecchio over 18.

How big is a wheel of Montasio?

Qualigeo gives 5.5 to 8 kg, 27 to 35 cm across and a heel no higher than 8 cm.

Which wines go with Montasio?

Qualigeo names Prosecco, Friuli DOP wines, Raboso del Piave, Collio Ribolla Gialla, and Colli Orientali Picolit and Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso.

What does the Montasio rind look like?

The consortium describes a smooth, elastic, light brown rind on a young cheese that turns drier and darker with age.

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.

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