Dairy cooperative begun in 1961 by Alto Mugello herders, part of the CLAI group since 2019. Its renovated shop sells its cheeses, including an organic caciotta, local cured meats and Tuscan specialities.
Cheeses: Caciotta biologica
Website: faggiola.it
Aged Pecorino Toscano is firm and fragrant, with a sweet rather than salty taste. Chianti's high acidity and cherry fruit cut through the paste, and the cheese's mildness leaves the wine's grip intact.
A semi-aged Pienza is slightly savoury with herbal notes, an aged one intense and well salted. Vino Nobile, Sangiovese with high acidity and a tannic grip, handles the salt and keeps the herbal notes in view.
The stagionato and da asserbo (6 to over 12 months) are firm, herbal and peppery. Gran Selezione, the top Chianti Classico tier, is full-bodied with firm tannin and high acidity, so a wheel of that age is not overwhelmed.
Address: Località Quadalto 57/b, 50035 Palazzuolo sul Senio (FI), Tuscany
Family dairy at Montepulciano making Pecorino di Pienza since 1962, founded by a Sardinian family. Visitors can book a tasting that explains production, or an outdoor picnic.
Cheeses: Pecorino di Pienza
Visiting: farm shop, guided tasting that explains production from milking to ageing, outdoor picnic of its cheeses and local cured meats (booked online), B&B rooms
Working farm a few kilometres from Pienza with its own sheep and goat dairy making pecorino, caprino and ricotta from unpasteurised milk. Tours cover production from fermentation to ageing and end with a tasting.
Cheeses: Pecorino di Pienza, Caprino, Ricotta
Visiting: guided farm and dairy tour (about 2 hours, with a master cheesemaker), cheese tasting, cheese-making demonstration, restaurant with a panoramic terrace, cooking classes, online shop
Family dairy making sheep and goat cheeses: classic, fermented and spiced pecorini, with black pepper, walnuts or basil and pine nuts. Its shop is La Bottega del Naturista in Pienza.
Cheeses: Pecorino di Pienza, Goat cheeses
Visiting: cheese sales at its shop in Pienza
Maremma sheep dairy founded in 1957 by Duilio Fiorini, with an ageing grotto cut into the rock of Roccalbegna in 1962. Visits cover production, the grotto and a guided tasting.
Cheeses: Pecorino Toscano
Visiting: guided dairy visit (reservation only), natural ageing grotto, guided tasting of 4 pecorini (2 hours) or 6 pecorini (4 hours, with Roccalbegna village), dairy shop
Maremma farmers' cooperative making Pecorino Toscano DOP and other cheeses. It opens the plant on reserved mornings, ending with a tasting, and sells directly from the dairy.
Cheeses: Pecorino Toscano
Visiting: guided dairy visit by reservation on some weekday mornings, tasting of the main cheeses, direct sales
Family dairy that began cheesemaking in 1955, when the shepherds Alessandro and Remo Busti came down from the upper Garfagnana. It runs guided tours with tastings, a factory shop and a restaurant at Acciaiolo.
Cheeses: Pecorino Toscano, Ricotta La Pec
Visiting: factory shop, guided dairy tours of about 1 hour, ending with a tasting, ageing caves tour, restaurant Il Rifocillo (dinner Tuesday to Sunday)
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