Emilio Spada, Le Marche. Pecorino

Sassocorvaro, Urbino.

In 1970 two families travelled from the village of Sini in Sardinia to settle the rich, fertile land around Urbino in Le Marche. Bringing their 200 strong flock of sheep with them, the Cau and Spada families soon found a farm close to Sassocorvaro encompassing both steep Apennine slopes as well as gentle hills facing the coast. These 2 very different grazing terrains and their different flora give body and variety to the milk. All the land is now certified organic. The 200 Sopravissana sheep now number 1000 and young Emilio Spada has taken on the work of his parents making a range of different pecorino that are aged on shelves of cherry or spruce in rooms positioned to protect the cheeses from the Garbino (a damp, southwesterly wind) and favour the Tramontana (the cold, dry northerly)