Formaggella del Luinese

Formaggella del Luinese is a semi-hard cheese produced exclusively from whole, raw goat's milk within a defined zone of northern Varese Province, Lombardy. The specification requires rennet-based curdling, a minimum maturing period of 20 days, and mandates that all stages from goat rearing to maturing take place within the delimited production area.

About this designation

Formaggella del Luinese received PDO protection on 17 February 2006 under file number PDO-IT-0524 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013850), registered under Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006. The designation is administered by the Consorzio per la Tutela della Formaggella del Luinese DOP and monitored by the inspection body CERTIPRODOP srl. The production area comprises named municipalities in the northern part of Varese Province, defined in the specification as the 'Varese Alpine foothills'. All stages — goat rearing, milk production, cheese-making, and maturing — must be carried out within this area. The cheese is made exclusively from whole, raw goat's milk using only natural calf rennet. Curdling takes place at 32 °C to 34 °C for 30 to 40 minutes. The curds are broken to a fine grain approximately the size of a grain of maize and shaped in 14 cm diameter moulds. Draining lasts a maximum of 48 hours at room temperature, with the cheeses turned 2 to 5 times. Maturing continues for at least 20 days in stores at controlled humidity of 85 to 95 % and a maximum temperature of 15 °C, or in cellars at ambient conditions. The use of grass silage is not permitted. Each wheel is released for consumption bearing a round food-grade paper label and a heat-branded goat's-head symbol alongside the producer's identification number on the heel.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 17 February 2006 under file number PDO-IT-0524, eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013850.
• The specification permits only whole, raw goat's milk and only natural calf rennet; no other rennet type is permitted.
• Every wheel must carry a heat-branded goat's-head symbol and a producer identification number on the heel as authenticity marks.
• The use of grass silage in the goats' diet is expressly prohibited by the specification.

Tasting notes

Lombard goat's milk cheese from Lago Maggiore, aged 20-30 days. Pale ivory paste, soft buttery texture, mild fresh goat flavor with grassy notes and clean lactic finish, less pungent than aged goat cheeses.

HoReCa use

Sliced on Lombard cheese boards; spread on warm crostini with honey; used as a component of risotto al formaggio; paired with light wines.

Packaging

• small-wheel-300-700g
• half-wheel-vacuum-300g
• wedge-vacuum-200g