We were up bright and early to head to Pienza. It was a beautiful morning for a drive through Val d'Orcia valley. The fog hung like a cloud over the valley, below the mountains.
We headed to Fattoria Pianporcino, a Tuscan dairy farm, specializing in the sheep's milk cheese, Pecorino.
As we awaited the owner/cheesemaker, Nina came out to greet us. Nina is the mascot for the farm and stays on site as a pet, rather than going to pasture with the others.
The owner took us on a tour of the facilities and explained the process of making Pecorino cheese. The process is the same for all of the rounds of cheese. The difference comes in aging and flavoring.
We were then taught about the different additions, flavorings, and aging times for the cheese, that gives each wheel its own personality.
Of course, the very best part of the tour was the tasting. 8 different styles of Pecorino, farm-smoked salami, and local wines. What a perfect lunch!
After lunch, we had the opportunity to enter the store and pick out products made on the farm to take home with us. The dairy does not ship, nor deliver any of their products.
We checked into our rooms and enjoyed a glass of wine on the balcony before walking into the lovely town of Pienza for dinner, where I enjoyed a simple beet pasta. Back to the room and this beautiful view. Pienza was one of my favorite stops. I'll tell you more about that when I share Day 12.
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