Capronzola 

Raw Milk – Goat's Blue Cheese – Pistoia Mountains

Mountain goat's gorgonzola: when bold cheesemaking creates unique masterpieces.

The Raw Milk Capronzola of theVerdetti Catia Agricultural Company

Verdetti Catia Farm's Raw Milk Capronzola is an extraordinary blue cheese whose evocative name—a fusion of "goat" and "gorgonzola"—immediately reveals its innovative nature: a creamy, soft blue cheese inspired by the famous Lombardy gorgonzola but made exclusively with raw goat's milk from approximately 140 goats raised on the farm's mountain pastures near Pistoia. Produced in San Marcello Piteglio, following the rigorous philosophy that earned Verdetti Farm the Slow Food Presidium recognition for Pecorino della Montagna Pistoiese—raw milk without additives, homemade starter cultures, and preserved microbial biodiversity—this Capronzola represents a bold and unique interpretation of the great Italian blue cheese tradition applied to mountain goat cheese, imparting unique, one-of-a-kind organoleptic characteristics.

The production technique is reminiscent of that of sweet Gorgonzola: coagulation of raw milk with rennet and enzymes (produced in-house according to company specifications), inoculation of the curd with spores of Penicillium noble molds (typically P. roqueforti or P. glaucum) responsible for the characteristic blue-green veining, delicate breaking of the curd to preserve creaminess, draining into strips that maintain high humidity, salting (dry or in brine), and crucially the “piercing” or “perforation” of the cheese with long needles that create air channels, allowing the molds to develop inside the cheese during maturation in cool (8-12°C), humid (85-95% relative humidity) environments where the blue colonies branch out, creating the distinctive marbling.

Capronzola is typically cylindrical in shape and small to medium in size (800g-2kg). It has a thin, naturally grayish-brownish rind with white or grayish surface mold. It's incredibly creamy, almost spreadable, ivory-white in color, streaked with irregular blue-green veins that branch out from the edges toward the center. Its buttery texture literally melts in the mouth. The flavor is a delicate balance between the milky sweetness typical of fresh mountain goat's milk—sweet, clean, with subtle herbaceous nuances—and the aromatic spiciness provided by the mold, which adds mushroomy, earthy, and slightly peppery notes without ever becoming aggressive or bitter, as in some very aged Gorgonzolas. The overall aromatic profile evokes melted butter, fresh cream, mushrooms, and pasture grass, with a pleasant medium-long finish that invites you to continue tasting.

The raw milk version with indigenous local cultures adds further complexity compared to pasteurized industrial versions, developing subtle aromatic nuances derived from the living microbial biodiversity of the milk and the aging environment. This cheese is a technical challenge (the marbling requires precise control of temperature, humidity, and aeration), a creative expression, and a testament to the extraordinary versatility of mountain goat's milk when expertly crafted.
 
 
 

The roots of Capronzola are deep in contemporary dairy innovation

Gorgonzola DOP—a raw blue cheese made exclusively from cow's milk in the provinces of Novara, Vercelli, Biella, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Milan, Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Cremona, Lecco, Lodi, Monza, Pavia, and Varese—is one of the most famous Italian cheeses in the world, available in two main versions: mild (short-aged, creamy, mildly spicy) and spicy (long-aged, firmer, intensely spicy). Its production likely dates back to the Middle Ages in the Po Valley, where the controlled marbling technique was developed.

Traditionally, blue cheeses were made primarily with cow's milk (Gorgonzola, English Stilton) or sheep's milk (French Roquefort), rarely goat's milk. Goat's milk was preferred for fresh cheeses such as chèvre or semi-mature cheeses to enhance their sweetness and delicacy. Only in recent decades have innovative artisanal producers begun experimenting with goat's milk blue cheeses, combining traditional techniques with the specific characteristics of goat's milk, creating extraordinary niche products.

Verdetti's Capronzola fits into this innovative tradition, adding the added distinctiveness of raw mountain milk, native ferments, and the Slow Food philosophy that prioritizes biodiversity, authenticity, and territorial connection. This cheese pays homage to the great Gorgonzola, reinterpreting it with a Pistoia mountain goat's cheese twist.
 
 
 

Choosing Capronzola means creaminess and live probiotics

Creamy blue cheeses such as sweet Gorgonzola or Capronzola offer an interesting nutritional profile: high-quality proteins partially pre-digested by the molds and therefore highly absorbable, fats that in goat's milk include easily metabolizable medium-chain fatty acids, abundant calcium (about 500-700 mg per 100 g), B vitamins synthesized by the Penicillium mold during ripening, live probiotics from the microbial biodiversity of raw milk and high-quality molds that can support intestinal health.

The calorie content is significant (about 300-360 kcal per 100g) due to its creaminess and fat content, but portions are typically moderate given the intense flavor that quickly satiates. Lactose is very low (almost completely fermented), making the cheese often tolerable even for those with mild lactose intolerance. Salt is present in moderate amounts, necessary for flavor balance and microbial control.

The creamy, spreadable texture makes Capronzola particularly versatile: perfect spread on bread or croutons, dissolved in pasta sauces, crumbled on salads or pizza, or simply enjoyed with a spoon to fully appreciate its buttery creaminess that melts on the tongue.
 
 
 

How to Best Use: Raw Milk Capronzola

• SPREADED AND PURE TASTING
  Bring the Capronzola to room temperature 60-90 minutes before serving for maximum creaminess. Spread generously on croutons. organic semi-wholemeal Campagna bread, breadsticks, crackers. Serve with honey di acacia o chestnut, jams di figs o onion mustard, Organic Sorrento walnuts, pears. Match with  Montefalco Sagrantino Passito DOCG.
• CREAMY SAUCES FOR PASTA AND RISOTTO
  Melt the Capronzola with fresh cream over low heat for a velvety sauce on gnocchi, short pasta, noodles. Manteca organic radicchio and porcini mushroom risotto with Capronzola. Use for polenta creamy, lasagna, cannelloni. Add pears in cubes or chicory by contrast.
• SALADS, PIZZA AND FILLINGS
  Crumble on salads mixed with rocket salad, chicory, Pecan nuts, pears. Add by the spoonful onto freshly baked white pizza, focaccia with  onions caramelized. Use for stuffing hamburger gourmet, panini, savory croissants. Spread on sandwiches with raw mountain ham.

The Producer: Verdetti Catia Agricultural Company

Verdetti Catia Farm in San Marcello Piteglio (PT) is a mountain dairy excellence recognized as a Slow Food Presidium for Pecorino della Montagna Pistoiese, producing artisanal raw-milk cheeses that express the region, biodiversity, and dairy creativity. Raising approximately 140 goats grazing on the slopes of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, the farm transforms their milk into unique products like this Capronzola, a reinterpretation of the great Italian blue cheese tradition in a mountain goat style. Led by the young Rachele Petrucci, who continues her grandmother Catia's work, the company embodies innovative courage rooted in respect for tradition, authentic artisanal quality, and resistance to industrial standardization.
 
 
 

Ingredients

Raw goat's milk (produced on the farm), lactic acid bacteria (produced on-site when necessary), Penicillium roqueforti or glaucum (blue mold), natural rennet, salt. No additives, preservatives, or selected industrial enzymes.
 
 
 

Indicative Nutritional Values ​​(per 100g of product)

• Energy: about 300-360 kcal
• Protein: 18-22g (partially predigested)
• Fat: 24-30g (of which saturated 15-19g, with medium-chain fatty acids)
• Carbohydrates: <1g (almost no lactose)
• Calcium: 500-700mg
• Salt: 1,5-3g (varies according to production)

Rich in absorbable noble proteins, calcium, B vitamins from molds, live probiotics from raw milk and fermentations.
 
 
 

Product Features

• Type: Creamy blue cheese made from raw goat's milk (like sweet Gorgonzola)
• Milk: Raw goat's milk (100% farm-raised from Pistoia mountain pastures)
• Production area: San Marcello Piteglio, Pistoia Mountains (PT – Tuscany)
• Aging: Short-medium (typically 30-60 days for optimal creaminess)
• Form weight: 800g – 2kg typically
• Crust: Thin, grey-brownish, natural surface mould
• Paste: Creamy, spreadable, ivory-white with blue-green veins
• Texture: Buttery, creamy, almost melting
• Taste: Milky sweetness + delicate spiciness = harmonious balance

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