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Parmigiano Reggiano PDO

Parmigiano Reggiano – The Authentic Parmesan Cheese

Origins, territory, and identity of Parmigiano Reggiano

Parmigiano Reggiano needs no introduction.
Its origins date back to the Middle Ages, when Benedictine and Cistercian monks were looking for a cheese that would keep well and withstand long journeys, maintaining its quality and food safety.
Since then, the production process and ingredients have remained the same, passing down through the centuries to the present day.

Parmigiano Reggiano – The Authentic Parmesan Cheese

Origins, territory, and identity of Parmigiano Reggiano

Parmigiano Reggiano needs no introduction.
Its origins date back to the Middle Ages, when Benedictine and Cistercian monks were looking for a cheese that would keep well and withstand long journeys, maintaining its quality and food safety.
Since then, the production process and ingredients have remained the same, passing down through the centuries to the present day.

At the Santa Maria di Cinghinello Dairy Cooperative, in the municipality of Polinago, we produce Parmigiano Reggiano DOP di Montagna cheese, following this thousand-year-old tradition every day, respecting the Modena Apennines, nature, and time, which is our most precious ally.

Simple, natural, authentic ingredients

Parmigiano Reggiano PDO is a 100% natural product.
We use only the following ingredients in its production:

  • fresh milk

  • natural rennet

  • salt

No additives, no preservatives.
The long aging process, which takes place entirely naturally, makes Parmigiano Reggiano a digestible, nutritious, and safe food that has been appreciated for generations.

Feeding cows

Handcrafted production

The quality of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese comes first and foremost from the milk.
The cows that produce it are fed with fodder grown in the same production areas, in full compliance with PDO regulations and the balance of the territory.

The stable mountain pastures of the Modena Apennines produce hay rich in biodiversity, which gives the milk its unique aroma, texture, and characteristics.
The milk is collected twice a day, in accordance with an ancient tradition that still today represents a guarantee of quality.

ONLINE SHOP

Handcrafted production

Artisanal quality and controlled supply chain, directly from the dairy

In our dairy, milk is processed every day according to the Parmigiano Reggiano PDO regulations.
Processing takes place in traditional copper vats, using precise techniques handed down over time, where experience, attention, and knowledge make all the difference.

Each shape is the result of a slow and rigorous process, carefully monitored at every stage, from production to aging.

Parmesan cheese

The aging process of Parmigiano Reggiano

Time as an ingredient: our aging processes

Time is a fundamental ingredient of Parmigiano Reggiano.
During the aging process, the cheese evolves, changes structure, and develops increasingly complex aromas.

At Caseificio Sociale Santa Maria, we produce various ages of cheese, each with its own identity:

  • 12-month Parmigiano – This is the youngest cheese: it has a delicate, harmonious flavor with lactic and buttery notes.
    The texture is still elastic and soft, ideal for everyday consumption and for those who love mild flavors.

  • 18-month Parmigiano – Begins to develop greater aromatic complexity.
    Light notes of dried fruit emerge and the structure becomes more compact, while maintaining excellent sweetness.

  • 24-month Parmigiano – full and harmonious flavor

  • 30-month Parmigiano – more crumbly, intense, and persistent

  • 36-month-old Parmigiano Reggiano and older – for those who love a strong, complex flavor

Each seasoning expresses unique characteristics and is ideal for different combinations: local wines, honey, jams, mustards, or simply enjoyed on its own.

In our online shop, you can purchase Parmigiano Reggiano in selected pieces, while half wheels are also available upon request.

Discover our

Parmigiano Reggiano – The Authentic Parmesan Cheese

Mountain Parmigiano Reggiano – Authentic by Nature

Parmigiano Reggiano Mountain Quality

Mountain Parmigiano Reggiano from Caseificio Santa Maria is produced in Polinago, in the Modena Apennines, a pure and unspoiled area where clean air, natural pastures, and dairy traditions have come together for generations. Made exclusively with mountain milk from our cows, raised with respect for animal welfare and fed with biodiversity-rich hay, it is a Parmigiano Reggiano PDO with an authentic, balanced, and natural taste

From tending the fields to aging the cheese wheels, we follow every step of the production process to offer you superior quality cheese, sold directly from the dairy, from the mountains to your table.

ONLINE SHOP

Our Parmigiano Reggiano cheese wins international award

Our World Cheese Awards

Our Parmigiano Reggiano di Montagna, internationally awarded

The excellence of Santa Maria Cheese Factory’s Mountain Parmigiano Reggiano has been recognized at the World Cheese Awards:

  • Silver Medal for Parmigiano Reggiano aged 30 months and 36 months,
  • Bronze medal for 24-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano.

This result confirms the quality of our artisanal mountain production, the care taken in the curing process, and the value of the Polinago–Cinghianello area.

Our Santa Maria Dairy

Every shape has a story

From the mountain hay that feeds the animals, to the fresh milk processed every day, to the slow aging process: each wheel of cheese is the result of a controlled supply chain that guarantees quality, authenticity, and taste.

PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN (PDO)
OUR DAIRY

Our hay

It all begins in the mountain pastures of the Modena Apennines, where hay rich in wild herbs grows naturally. A diet shaped by the seasons and the land is the first element that determines the quality of the milk and, ultimately, of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Our animals

Our cows are raised with respect for their well-being, following natural rhythms and a controlled diet.
Healthy, well-cared-for animals produce milk that is more balanced, fragrant, and nutritious, which is essential for making excellent cheese.

our milk

The milk is milked daily and delivered fresh to the dairy, without long transport times.
It is raw, untreated milk, processed a few hours after milking to preserve all its natural characteristics.

Processing

In the dairy, the milk is processed according to the traditional regulations of Parmigiano Reggiano, also known worldwide as Parmesan cheese, using only milk, natural rennet, and whey starter culture. Production takes place in traditional copper vats, following ancient techniques passed down through generations, where experience and attention to detail make all the difference.

Parmigiano Reggiano – Santa Maria Cheese Factory

seasoning

After salting, the wheels are left to rest in the maturing cellars for months or years.
Here, time slowly works its magic on the cheese, transforming it and enriching its aroma, structure, and digestibility.
Each wheel is carefully monitored, checked, and turned.

QUALITY

The result is a Parmigiano Reggiano produced in the mountain area, with an authentic, balanced, and complex flavor

  • intense fragrances

  • fine grain

  • high digestibility

  • high nutritional quality

Each shape tells the story of the deep connection between the land, animals, people, and time.

Where we are:

Come and Visit Us

Santa Maria Dairy

Via Del Fiorentino, 2, Polinago, MO 41040 – Cinghianello area

Store Hours

Monday: closed

Tuesday: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Thursday: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., afternoon: closed

Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Saturday: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Sunday: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

CALL: 0536 47387