Pecorino grape variety

The word Pecorino immediately brings to mind two treasures of Italian culture: a rare and refined white grape variety, and an essential Italian cheese, aged Pecorino cheese, a pillar of Italian cuisine. This dual heritage tells a story of terroirs, origins, traditions, and passion, where wine and cheese share the same demand for quality and the same deep roots in Italian regions.

On the one hand, Pecorino wine seduces with its freshness, its golden color, and its aromas of white flowers and citrus. On the other, aged Pecorino cheese, PDO DOP, made from sheep's milk, offers a powerful taste, a pungent flavor, and a rind that testifies to its aging. Together, these two Italian products tell the story of a cultural and culinary heritage that Italy knows so well how to preserve and offer to the whole world.

An ancient history between vine and cheese

The origin of the word "Pecorino" comes from pecora, which means "sheep" in Italian. In Abruzzo and Marche, shepherds guided their flocks through the vineyards, and the sheep readily consumed the grapes of the Pecorino variety. This coexistence gave its name to the grape, while also recalling the central role of aged Pecorino cheese in the local diet.

As early as the Middle Ages, these two products were associated: Pecorino wine accompanied the cheese during simple meals. Over time, the quantity of Pecorino wine decreased, replaced by other grape varieties. But the pastoral tradition maintained a large production of Italian cheese, exported throughout Europe and as far as Sicily. Today, both are experiencing a revival, driven by a desire to produce, preserve, and consume authentic products.

Pecorino wine: a rediscovered Italian variety

Long forgotten, the Pecorino grape variety was rediscovered in the 1980s. Deemed unproductive, it had been abandoned in favor of Trebbiano. However, its ability to produce elegant and expressive wines now earns it great success.

Abruzzo, Marche, and Tuscany remain its birthplace, particularly in the Offida Pecorino DOCG PDO appellation. Every day, winemakers there craft quality, fresh, and lively wines. This Italian white wine reveals aromas of lemon, green apple, and white flowers. Pecorino production remains limited in quantity, but each bottle expresses the uniqueness of a terroir.

In gastronomy, this wine pairs well with a platter of cured meats and cheeses, a light sauce, or a piece of aged Pecorino cheese to be shaved. In an online store, it is common to see the option to add it to the cart, proof of its growing success.

Pecorino cheese: an essential PDO product

Aged Pecorino cheese is equally emblematic. Produced from sheep's milk, it comes in several varieties depending on the region: Pecorino Romano, Pecorino Sardo, Pecorino Toscano PDO DOP, or Pecorino Siciliano. Tuscany, Sardinia, and Sicily are Pecorino production lands, each offering a different style, more or less salty, more or less pungent.

Young and fresh, the Italian cheese is tender and fragrant, perfect for use in salads or cut into cubes. In its aged Pecorino version, it becomes drier, stronger, saltier, and more intense, with a firm rind and a dense texture. The aging time plays a central role: after a few months, the taste remains mild, while after several years, the pungent flavor dominates. Its preservation must be careful to maintain its quality.

In Italian cuisine, it's impossible to imagine a carbonara sauce or a cacio e pepe without grated aged Pecorino cheese. Adding aged Pecorino to a dish gives it a unique identity, where the powerful sheep aroma enhances the flavors of pasta, grilled vegetables, cured meats, and artisanal bread.

Wine and cheese: a perfect alliance

Pairing Pecorino wine and aged Italian Pecorino cheese is a natural match. The former, lively and floral, balances the power of the latter, salty, pungent, and intense. In the production regions, locals have always been accustomed to consuming these two treasures together, often with local cured meats and cheeses.

During a tasting, the contrast between the freshness of the wine and the richness of the cheese creates a delicate harmony. It is a marriage where origin, Roman culture, and quality matter as much as taste.

Viticultural and cheesemaking specificities

The Pecorino grape variety is early and resistant. It tolerates drought and poor soils, making it an ally for winemakers seeking to produce dry and elegant wines.

Aged Pecorino cheese, on the other hand, depends on the quantity of Pecorino produced each season. Depending on the variety, aging time, rind thickness, and preservation methods, very different profiles are obtained: tender and mild or dry, powerful, and pungent.

A culinary heritage of Italy and Europe

Italy has made aged Italian Pecorino cheese an ambassador of its savoir-faire. Tuscany, Sardinia, and Sicily are among the most renowned regions for Pecorino production. In Europe, this Italian cheese is protected by several PDO DOPs, guarantees of authenticity.

In France, it can be found in Italian restaurants, fine food stores, and specialized websites. Enthusiasts can discover a bottle of Pecorino wine or a whole piece of Pecorino cheese there, and add it to their cart to receive it at home. This practical information allows for variety and to recreate a typically Italian pairing at home.

How to choose and consume Pecorino?

For Pecorino wine, it is better to opt for a PDO DOP. It can be enjoyed young for its liveliness or after a few months of aging for more complexity.

For aged Italian Pecorino cheese, you need to vary the styles: a strong and salty Pecorino Romano, a milder Pecorino Toscano PDO DOP, or a more pungent Pecorino Siciliano from Sicily. Each variety can be sliced, used in a sauce, or served with bread and cured meats.

The best of tradition

Pecorino, whether wine or aged Italian cheese, embodies the art of producing, preserving, and consuming products rooted in their origin. Its rind, aging, pungent notes, and texture make it one of the most appreciated cheeses in the Mediterranean basin.

A symbol of Italy, but also of Europe and France, Pecorino unites two worlds: wine and cheese. Every day, through a bottle of Pecorino wine or a piece of Italian cheese to add to the cart, Italy knows how to offer the best of its Italian cuisine.