Caseificio Cugusi

A Pienza pecorino dairy

The Caseificio Cugusi is at Via della Boccia, 8, in the Montepulciano countryside, on the road between Montepulciano and Pienza, on the eastern edge of the Val d'Orcia. It was founded in 1962 by Raffaele and Maria Cugusi, who came from Sardinia with their way of making sheep's cheese. Today it is a family business: Silvana runs the dairy, Paolo is the cheesemaker and Anna is already the third generation. They make Pienza pecorino in many versions: fresh, aged, with spices and fermented.

It is the cheap and tasty stop on a route through Pienza and Montepulciano: you buy cheese for the trip, or sit down to eat outdoors with what you choose in the shop.

The picnic at the farm

From 28 March to 1 November, from 10:00 to 17:30 without a break, the dairy prepares picnics in a shaded outdoor area. They give you a basket with a board, cutlery, glasses, napkins and bread, and you fill it with whatever you like: more than twenty pecorinos, Tuscan cured meats, preserves in oil, salad, jams and honeys. To drink there are wines from Montepulciano wineries, craft beer and water. The basket with bread and cutlery costs from €3 per person; the rest, depending on what you order. You book beforehand, online, by phone or by email, saying how many you are, the day and the arrival time. If it rains, it does not go ahead: the area is not covered.

The guided tasting

From Monday to Friday, from 10:00 to 16:00, they hold private tastings of about 45 minutes in Italian, English or Spanish: five Pienza pecorinos, compotes, ricotta, water and Rosso di Montepulciano, with the history of the cheese and a short video of how it is made. The price depends on the group and a quote is requested. Small groups: the house suggests the picnic instead. You must book and cancel 48 hours ahead.

The shop

Open every day: from November to March, from 8:00 to 13:00 and from 15:00 to 19:00; from March to October, from 9:00 to 19:30. As well as cheeses, they sell pecorino and truffle cream (€8.50), cacio e pepe cream (€6) and jams and compotes for cheese, from €3 to €5.