The Italian dairy Il Fiorino, based in the province of Grosseto (Tuscany) and celebrated globally for its superior Pecorino cheeses, has returned from the International Cheese & Dairy Awards (ICDA) in Staffordshire County (England) with 18 accolades. The artisanally crafted Pecorinos from Il Fiorino, made exclusively with milk from Tusacny’s Maremma, secured seven gold, six silver, and five bronze medals at the 2024 edition of ICDA.
Gold medals were awarded to Cacio di Venere, Pecorino al Tartufo, Riserva del Fondatore, Pecorino con Farina di Castagne, Fior di Cardo, Cacio di Afrodite, and Morbidosa. The silver medalists included Cacio di Caterina, Cacio di Giove, Fiorin Blu, Pecorino Toscano PDO Stagionato, Cacio di Venere, and Fior di Cardo. Bronze went to Cacio di Afrodite, Grotta del Fiorini, Riserva del Fondatore, Fiorin Blu, and Cacio di Venere.
THE PRIZEWINNERS
This brings Il Fiorino’s tally to over 240 awards since 1964, garnered from prestigious contests in Italy and abroad. The accolades from the ICDA are particularly noteworthy, as they recognize nearly the entire range of the dairy’s production across cheese types, maturation stages, refinements, and production methods. Even the fresh cheeses, typically underrepresented in international competitions, won over the judges with their excellence. Last year, Angela Fiorini and Simone Sargentoni, the dairy leaders (pictured), celebrated 13 medals as a remarkable achievement, a record now surpassed.
“The key point,” noted owner Angela Fiorini, “is our consistent success in world-class competitions over many years. This is not something to be taken for granted. It requires immense effort, passion, dedication, and sacrifice. We are delighted to celebrate these new medals, knowing that tomorrow brings new challenges: for us, for our colleagues, and for our beloved land that we wish to see continually flourish.”
GOLDEN SECRETS BY IL FIORINO
The top-performing cheeses are the flagship products of the Maremma-based dairy. The king, Riserva del Fondatore, has long been a standout in the cheese world. Created in 2006 to honor founder Duilio Fiorini, it is made using traditional methods and aged in caves for a year, earning its status as a “meditation” cheese and a true symbol of Il Fiorino. The queen of Il Fiorino’s lineup, Cacio di Venere, remains in the global elite of cheeses, crafted with organic milk and organic Tuscan white truffle.
The gold medal also celebrated the fresh and high-quality Pecorino al Tartufo, while the Pecorino alle Castagne continues to be a delightful revelation with room for further improvement. Gold was also awarded to Fior di Cardo, a pecorino made with vegetable rennet that highlights the herbaceous and animal notes typical of Maremma pastures, and Morbidosa, which impressed the jury with its delicate, sweet, and balanced flavor. Another standout is Cacio di Afrodite, a semi-cooked aged Pecorino that has achieved numerous accolades since its inception.