Its origins date back to the second half of the nineteenth century. Nearly two centuries later, Caseificio dei Barbi—part of Fattoria dei Barbi, one of the historic estates that helped establish Brunello di Montalcino as one of the world’s most renowned wine regions—is the oldest continuously operating cheesemaker in the Montalcino area. In just a few years, it has also earned international recognition with a string of awards at the world’s leading cheese competitions The latest recognition comes from the Great Taste Awards 2026, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, whose annual blind-tasting programme brings together thousands of food and drink products from around the world. Cacio al Miele di Castagno e Polline was awarded the coveted Three-Star Award, the programme’s highest distinction. In the same edition, Pecorino Stagionato received Two Stars, while Cacio alla Presura was awarded One Star.
These latest honours come less than a month after the International Cheese & Dairy Awards 2026, where Cacio di Pio won Gold and Pecorino Semistagionato received Bronze, bringing the total number of international awards earned by Caseificio dei Barbi to five in just a few weeks.
Organised by the Guild of Fine Food, the Great Taste Awards | https://gff.co.uk/ are among the world’s most respected food awards. Every product is assessed through a rigorous blind-tasting process by panels of chefs, buyers, food writers and industry experts. More than 15,000 products from 116 countries were judged in the 2026 edition. The next event will take place on 8 September, when Caseificio dei Barbi will take part in Great Taste in Italy – La Notte del Gusto, hosted at GRES Art 671 in Bergamo. The event will celebrate the highest-scoring Italian products from the Great Taste Awards 2026, with the official presentation of the awards to this year’s winners.
The Taste of a Place. “We are delighted that our dairy continues to be recognised at the world’s leading international cheese competitions. These awards honour the dedication and craftsmanship of our cheesemakers, as well as a project that celebrates the history, traditions and distinctive character of Montalcino through artisan cheese,” says Stefano Cinelli Colombini, owner of Fattoria dei Barbi. Awarded Three Stars at the Great Taste Awards 2026, Cacio al Miele di Castagno e Polline is part of Gli Affinati, a collection of more than fifteen artisan pecorino cheeses presented in the Caseificio’s distinctive 330 g individual format. The collection represents the creative side of Caseificio dei Barbi, where traditional ageing techniques meet carefully selected local ingredients to create cheeses with a strong sense of place. Created by master cheesemakers Angela Zizi and Salvatore Soddu, Cacio al Miele di Castagno e Polline was inspired by one of Montalcino’s defining products: honey. Their aim was to make honey the defining element of an affinage capable of expressing the identity of the local landscape. Organic chestnut honey lends elegant bittersweet notes, pollen enriches the aromatic profile, while a traditional coating of beeswax naturally protects the cheese throughout maturation, creating a fully edible rind. The cheese celebrates local biodiversity, the work of Montalcino’s beekeepers and a shared commitment to expressing the character of the territory through contemporary cheesemaking. It was this balance that impressed the Great Taste judges, who praised the harmony between honey, ewe’s milk and pollen, the precision of the cheesemaking, its aromatic complexity and its remarkably long finish.
Other Awards. Pecorino Stagionato, awarded Two Stars at the Great Taste Awards 2026, was recognised for its structure, aromatic depth and exceptional balance achieved through extended maturation. Cacio alla Presura, awarded One Star, belongs to the Eccellenze di Montalcino collection, through which Caseificio dei Barbi reinterprets some of the area’s most distinctive agricultural products and food traditions using ewe’s milk as its starting point.
Where to Find Our Cheeses. Caseificio dei Barbi cheeses are available from the Caseificio and Fattoria dei Barbi farm shops, at Taverna dei Barbi, and through a carefully selected network of specialist retailers and restaurants. The complete catalogue can be viewed and downloaded from www.caseificiodeibarbi.it, where visitors can also book guided dairy tours, cheese tastings and dedicated gastronomic experiences.
