Pecorino Marzolino al Peperoncino 700 g — Fattoria Buca Nuova

Pecorino Marzolino al Peperoncino by Fattoria Buca Nuova is a Tuscan sheep's milk cheese from Pienza, in the Val d'Orcia, with chilli folded into a soft white paste. Each piece weighs about 700 g, matures only a few weeks and is served at room temperature on the cheese board or grated for a spicy accent. It carries the milky, herbaceous fragrance of spring pastures together with a clean, lingering heat.

What marzolino is

Marzolino is one of the oldest Tuscan sheep's cheeses, documented since the late eighteenth century and prized at the Florentine court, where it was known as cacio marzolino. Its name comes from March, the month in which production traditionally begins: the milk of ewes grazing the first spring grass is the most fragrant of the year, rich in the scent of thyme, savory and wormwood that grow on the Sienese crete. It is a fresh-to-semi-mature cheese with a tender white paste, distinct from long-aged pecorino.

Origin: Pienza and the Val d'Orcia

The cheese comes from Pienza, the Renaissance town at the heart of the Val d'Orcia in the province of Siena, an area whose pastures are the only true home of authentic Pecorino di Pienza. The aromatic herbs of the crete senesi give the milk its unmistakable profile, the very reason this corner of Tuscany has been celebrated for sheep's cheese since Etruscan times.

The producer: Fattoria Buca Nuova

Fattoria Buca Nuova was founded by the Cugusi family, who moved from Gallura in Sardinia to Tuscany in 1966 and began transforming their own sheep's milk into cheese soon after. In 1982 Emilio and Graziano Cugusi took the dairy forward, and in 1997 the workshop moved to the artisan district of Pienza, where the family still crafts Pecorino di Pienza across fresh, semi-mature and aged styles drawing on Val d'Orcia milk.

Sensory profile

The paste is white, soft and slightly elastic, with the sweet, milky note typical of fresh marzolino. The chilli is distributed evenly through the cheese and brings a warm, persistent heat that builds gently rather than overwhelming the delicate dairy base. The aroma recalls fresh milk and spring herbs, and the finish is clean and savoury.

Technical specifications

Sheep's milk cheese flavoured with chilli, variable weight of about 700 g per piece. Ingredients: sheep's milk, salt, chilli, rennet. Allergens: milk and milk products. Store refrigerated between +4 °C and +10 °C; commercial shelf life up to 180 days, to be consumed within about 6 days of opening. Country of origin: Italy. Producer: Fattoria Buca Nuova, Pienza (Siena), Tuscany.

Professional uses

On the cheese board, serve it at 14-16 °C with chestnut honey, fig preserve and walnut bread to balance the heat. Grated or shaved over cacio e pepe, fresh pasta or a spring-vegetable risotto, it adds a spicy Tuscan accent in place of a milder pecorino. It works shaved over rocket and pear salads, melted briefly onto crostini and bruschetta, or paired with cured meats such as finocchiona and Tuscan salami. For a full-flavoured tagliere, combine it with a structured red such as a Tuscan Sangiovese.

Pairings

Pair with chestnut or acacia honey, fig and pear preserves, Tuscan extra virgin olive oil, finocchiona and Tuscan salami, walnut and Altamura bread, and a glass of Chianti or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

Delivery and logistics

B2B and B2C delivery throughout Switzerland from the LAPA warehouse in Embrach (Zurich). Cold chain at 2-4 °C guaranteed by the LAPA fleet across Zurich, Winterthur, Uster, Aargau, St. Gallen, Lucerne, Zug and Basel. For Ticino (Lugano, Bellinzona, Locarno), French-speaking Switzerland (Geneva, Lausanne, Vevey, Sion), Valais and mountain regions (Davos, St. Moritz, Chur) delivery within 24-48 hours via certified food-grade couriers (Swiss Post Frigo-Express, Planzer, Galliker, Camion Transport). Service tailored for restaurants, pizzerias, delicatessens, hotels, gastronomies, Italian grocery stores and private customers passionate about Italian cuisine.

Who it is for

Designed for restaurants, delicatessens, hotels, caterers and Italian specialty shops looking for an authentic Tuscan sheep's cheese with a distinctive spicy character, as well as for private customers who love bold, traditional Italian flavours.