The flagship of the Cugusi dairy, this Pecorino is aged for 18 months and hand-pressed by expert cheesemakers. Awarded Super Gold at the World Cheese Awards, it ranks among the 84 best cheeses in the world.
DESCRIPTION
Description: A true jewel of Tuscan cheesemaking, the Pecorino Gran Riserva is hand-shaped and pressed before maturing for 18 months on spruce boards. Its fine, granular texture and balanced sweetness have earned it the Super Gold medal at the World Cheese Awards — placing it among the 84 finest cheeses in the world. Elegant, complex, and deeply satisfying.
How to use: Winner of the Super Gold at the World Cheese Awards, placing it among the best 84 cheeses in the world, this exceptional Pecorino Gran Riserva is exquisite with honey or fruit jams, meditation wines or spirits – such as Colletivo Botanico’s Amaro Amiata. Try it shaved over risotto or served with walnuts for a truly refined experience. To fully appreciate its flavours and aromas, it’s best to let the Pecorino come to room temperature before enjoying it.
Size: 0.6 kg
How to preserve: the product is sold under vacuum. If it isn’t possible to put it under vacuum again, it is advisable to keep it where temperature is around 15-18 degrees (if not possible, the next best location is the part of the fridge that is least cold), with low humidity and using a wrap that allows air to flow (no plastic film roll, a cotton cloth is better). In any case, it is important to always check the appearance and smell of the product before consuming it, in order to ensure its healthiness.
Note: as this is an artisanal product, the reported weight of the item serves as an indication; the actual weight of the product may vary slightly from the reported figure.
Rooted in the hills of Pienza, Caseificio Cugusi remains faithful to the time-honoured methods of Tuscan cheesemaking. Every step from milking their own sheep to natural maturation is guided by care and respect for tradition. Their Pecorini, including the award-winning Gran Riserva, stand among the finest expressions of Italy’s artisanal heritage.
Pecorino di Pienza Gran Riserva – A Masterpiece of Tuscan Maturation</strong>
Among the most prestigious expressions of Tuscan cheesemaking, Pecorino di Pienza Gran Riserva stands as a testament to patience, tradition, and artisanal mastery. Crafted by the skilled hands of the Cugusi family, this extraordinary cheese is shaped, pressed, and aged for over 18 months on natural spruce boards — a slow and deliberate process that transforms simple sheep’s milk into a cheese of remarkable depth and refinement. The result is a Pecorino of rare elegance, with a fine, granular texture and a taste that evolves through layers of sweetness, nuttiness, and savoury complexity. Its exceptional quality has earned it international recognition, including the Super Gold Medal at the World Cheese Awards, placing it among the 84 finest cheeses in the world. The Pecorino Gran Riserva is not simply a cheese — it is an experience of Tuscany itself, concentrated into each fragrant, golden wheel.
The Art and Patience Behind Gran Riserva
What makes Pecorino Gran Riserva so extraordinary is the way time itself becomes an ingredient. The cheese begins with pure, high-quality sheep’s milk collected from flocks that graze freely in the rolling meadows of the Val d’Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape where wild herbs and flowers infuse the milk with natural aromas. Once transformed into curds, each wheel is hand-shaped and gently pressed to achieve the perfect consistency before entering the long maturation journey that defines its character. For a year and a half, the cheese rests on untreated spruce boards in the cellars of Caseificio Cugusi. These wooden surfaces naturally regulate humidity and temperature, allowing the cheese to breathe and mature gradually. The affineurs carefully turn and brush each wheel by hand, occasionally massaging the rind with olive oil to prevent excessive dryness and encourage the development of complex aromas. Over time, the interior evolves into a dense, crumbly structure, while the rind darkens and gains subtle earthy notes a hallmark of long-aged Tuscan pecorino. The transformation is slow and organic, mirroring the natural rhythm of the seasons. When the Gran Riserva finally reaches its peak, it offers an astonishing concentration of flavour: an initial sweetness reminiscent of hazelnut and butter, followed by a refined savouriness with hints of dried fruit, straw, and Tuscan herbs. The long finish leaves a persistent, harmonious warmth on the palate the unmistakable signature of a great aged pecorino.
A Taste of Tuscan Excellence
To taste Pecorino di Pienza Gran Riserva is to appreciate the full potential of sheep’s milk and craftsmanship perfected over generations. Its flavour profile is both bold and balanced, never harsh despite its age. The texture is fine-grained and slightly crystalline, breaking beautifully into flakes that release an intoxicating aroma. This harmony of texture and taste makes the Gran Riserva an ideal cheese for slow, contemplative enjoyment. It shines on a cheeseboard accompanied by chestnut honey, fig jam, or a handful of walnuts, all of which enhance its natural sweetness. For wine pairings, it finds perfect balance with structured red wines or Tuscan meditation spirits, such as Stille di Meditazione by Lombardi e Visconti, whose warm, aromatic notes echo the cheese’s depth. Culinarily, it is an exceptional ingredient. Thin shavings of Gran Riserva elevate risotto, fresh pasta, or carpaccio with a refined umami richness. It can also be grated sparingly over vegetable dishes or used to finish soups for a luxurious Tuscan touch. Whatever the occasion, this cheese transforms simple moments into memorable ones — the mark of a truly great artisan product.
Caring for Your Gran Riserva
To preserve its full character, Pecorino di Pienza Gran Riserva is sold vacuum-sealed to maintain freshness during transport. Once opened, it should be kept in a cool, dry environment between 10°C and 14°C, wrapped in breathable material such as waxed paper or cotton cloth. This allows the cheese to continue “breathing,” preventing condensation and maintaining its natural texture. If stored in a refrigerator, place it in the mildest section, away from strong odours. Before serving, let the cheese rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to allow its flavours and aromas to reawaken. Proper care will ensure every slice retains the extraordinary finesse that has made the Gran Riserva one of Tuscany’s most prized pecorini.
A Jewel of the Val d’Orcia
The Gran Riserva represents the culmination of everything that defines Caseificio Cugusi respect for the land, dedication to craftsmanship, and a profound love for tradition. It encapsulates the essence of Pienza, where time, nature, and human artistry meet in perfect harmony. Each wheel tells a story of heritage and excellence, of a family that continues to refine its art while remaining faithful to the rhythms of the countryside. Award-winning and world-renowned, Pecorino di Pienza Gran Riserva is not only one of the finest cheeses of Tuscany it is a celebration of the region’s identity, a sensory journey that brings the heart of the Val d’Orcia to your table.
