Trentingrana

The story of Trentingrana began in 1926, almost like a little love story. It is said to have started with the meeting between a cheesemaker from Rumo, in Val di Non, and a young woman from Mantua: two worlds coming together and, in a way, giving life to one of the most important expressions of Trentino's cheesemaking tradition.

Over the years, Trentingrana has developed its own distinctive identity, becoming part of the Grana Padano PDO, while following an even more stringent production specification. Because behind every great wheel of grana there is not only the cheesemaker's work: above all, there is the quality of the milk from which everything begins.

In Trentino, this quality comes from the territory. From the mountain climate, the healthy environment, Alpine meadows and pastures, quality forage and the daily work of many small and medium-sized farmers, often family-run. Together, these elements provide milk with characteristics particularly suited to the production of this cheese.

The production specification sets strict rules for cattle feed, including the exclusion of silage and genetically modified feed, protecting the quality of the raw material. It is from this raw milk that a cheese is made whose flavours and aromas express the character of the environment in which it is produced.

Today, 13 dairies belonging to Concast – Consorzio dei Caseifici Trentini produce Trentingrana according to the strict PDO specification. A network of dairies sharing the same philosophy: transforming high-quality milk into a cheese that tells the story of its territory.

Time is one of its most important ingredients. Trentingrana is available in different ageing periods, from 12 to 24 months, while the 36-month version is also available at certain times of the year. As the months pass, the paste becomes increasingly compact and its flavour evolves, becoming progressively more intense, complex and persistent.

And when the milk comes directly from mountain pastures, an even more deeply rooted expression of the tradition is created: Trentingrana Maggengo. Made exclusively with mountain-pasture milk and aged for at least 18 months, it has been recognised as a Slow Food Presidium, highlighting its strong connection with Alpine grazing and the preservation of a traditional production method.

Trentingrana is a cheese to be savoured slowly, perhaps in flakes, allowing its complexity to unfold one bite at a time. It is also a precious ingredient in the kitchen, adding depth to pasta dishes, fillings and traditional recipes. One wheel, thousands of gestures. The milk of the mountains, the cheesemakers' craft and the passing of time: Trentingrana embodies the character of a land that has made quality a tradition.

This cheese bears the Qualità Trentino quality mark, a recognition that highlights the quality of Trentino's agri-food products and their strong connection with the territory.