Lardo di Colonnata

Lardo di Colonnata is cured pig back fat produced in the village of Colonnata, in the Apuan Alps of Tuscany. Its defining characteristic is maturation in white marble basins — conche — quarried from the Canaloni marble beds of Colonnata, with layers of salt, pepper, rosemary, and garlic, for a minimum of six months.

About this designation

Registered as a PGI under file number PGI-IT-0269, Lardo di Colonnata received EU protection on 5 June 2003 and is recorded in the eAmbrosia register under identifier EUGI00000013614. The specification requires that curing take place exclusively in conche made from white marble from the Canaloni marble beds of Colonnata; the composition and structure of this marble are cited as essential to the curing and ageing process. The fat is layered in the basins with fresh ground pepper, fresh rosemary, and peeled and coarsely diced garlic, and must remain in the basins for at least six months. Curing must take place in premises with little ventilation and no artificial air-conditioning. The village of Colonnata lies in the Apuan Alps at an average altitude of 550 metres above sea level, and the specification identifies the local microclimate — characterised by high humidity, moderate summer temperatures, and small daily temperature variation — as integral to the product's character. The inspection body is AGROQUALITA, Via Montebello n. 8, Rome. The product is marketed in pieces weighing between 250 and 5,000 grams. Packaging must bear the name 'Lardo di Colonnata' followed by 'Indicazione geografica protetta' or 'IGP' in characters larger than any other wording, together with the prescribed rhomboid logo and a non-reusable seal attached to one of the two shorter sides of the rind.

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

Distinctive facts

• Lardo di Colonnata received EU PGI protection on 5 June 2003, registered under file number PGI-IT-0269 (eAmbrosia: EUGI00000013614).
• The specification requires curing exclusively in conche of white marble from the Canaloni marble beds of Colonnata; no other vessel is permitted.
• The fat must remain in the marble basins for at least six months; curing premises must have little ventilation and no artificial air-conditioning.
• Spain filed an admissible objection during the registration procedure, contesting the definition of the geographical area; it subsequently agreed to registration after Italy provided further explanation.

Tasting notes

Cured pork back-fat from Apuan Alps, aged in marble vats with herbs, salt, and garlic. Translucent ivory color, silky cool fat that melts on tongue, intensely aromatic with rosemary, sage, garlic, and pepper.

HoReCa use

The product is marketed in pieces weighing between 250 and 5,000 grams, vacuum-packed, and may also be sold sliced or diced and packed accordingly.

Packaging

• slab-vacuum-1-2kg
• half-slab-vacuum-500g
• deli-sliced-vacuum-80g
• pre-sliced-tray-100g