The Marchesato Crotonese is the home of Pecorino Crotonese DOP Calabrialleva. The territory is rich in historical evidence of a past devoted to agriculture and the protection of the natural environment. The relationship between man and nature has always been symbiotic. Man generously takes what nature offers. In this context, Calabrialleva produces one of the most important typical Calabrian products.
Marquisate: when myth, history and legend come together
The Marchesato Crotonese represents the characteristic feature of the Calabrian territory. In the centre of the region, mountains predominate, their slopes furrowed by valleys shaped by the force of water. The Ionian Sea is the protagonist of the Marchesato’s history, together with all the other natural elements that have contributed to the area’s modern identity over the millennia. It coincides with the province of Crotone and is a historical region of Calabria considered to be the cradle of Magna Graecia.
The city of Crotone, in fact, was founded by Greeks from Achaia in the 8th century B.C. They quickly contributed to making the city an important artistic and cultural centre. It should not be forgotten that 530 BC Pythagoras left the island. Pythagoras left the Greek island of Samos to settle in Crotone, where he opened a school that taught how to apply the scientific and philosophical method to everyday life. This is how the land known today as the Marquisate of Crotone came to be known as Magna Graecia.
Culture and science spread rapidly in this land, home to philosophers, scientists, mathematicians and poets. This phenomenon was favoured by the social fabric and morphology of a land where harmony, freedom and sharing reigned supreme. These values were inherited from the policy introduced by King Italo (hence the name Italy) some 1500 years before the arrival of the Greeks in Calabria.
Today, as then, the Marchesato preserves its identity as a territory highly disposed to the conservation of a unique heritage made of genuineness and passion. These are the basis of the production of Pecorino Crotonese PDO Calabrialleva produced according to the inspiring principle of sharing handed down by the ancient peoples.
Wine and food park and more
The Marchesato Crotonese is home to a number of important economic activities. The so-called Crotonese Wine and Food Park boasts a high concentration of PDO and DOC marks of the Calabria region. These denominations cover not only the cheese and cured meat sectors, but also the wine and olive oil sectors.
The characteristics of the territory are such as to guarantee a high standard of product quality. Air, sea and mountains are decisive elements. The strengths of the Marchesato Crotone branch out through the agri-food, fishing and tourism sectors. Along with Pecorino Crotonese DOP, it is advisable to taste the Bread of Cutro and the products of the sea, fruit of a great seafaring tradition practised according to ancient dictates but open to modernity. Tourism is one of the Marchesato’s most important activities.
Its history, favourable position and rich and uncontaminated territory attract millions of tourists every year, who combine the pleasure of diving into the crystal-clear sea with the desire to rediscover Magna Graecia. All around, ancient atmospheres are revived. Archaeological remains and excavations speak of an ancient and glorious past. Sitting on the seashore, one has the impression of seeing Greek ships in the distance, the same ships described by Homer in the Iliad and the Odyssey. Going inland, one cannot fail to enjoy the charm of the Sila. Woods with centuries-old trees frame lakes where you can often see grazing flocks.
Cooperation and sharing: this is how Pecorino Crotonese DOP is made
Sharing and cooperation are the principles on which the activity of Calabrian farmers is based. In fact, they have joined together to enhance the potential of a lush territory where green pastures form a backdrop to rocky slopes furrowed by medium-sized watercourses. The Neto river flows through the pristine mountains of Sila, near the Botte Donato peak in the province of Cosenza. As it flows downstream, it is fed by tributaries that accompany it to its mouth on the banks of the Ionian Sea. Over the centuries, enchanted villages have sprung up along its course, where time seems to have stood still.
Artisan activities coexist with modernity, offering the best of Calabrian quality production. This is the land of Pecorino Crotonese PDO Calabrialleva produced by a cooperative of farmers who have held firm to the ancient principles. This spirit animates the company which, every day, after collecting the sheep’s milk, dedicates itself to cheese-making to obtain a cheese that speaks of its land. The cooperative’s members number around 150, with farms located both on the plains and in the hills. This favours the development of organoleptic facets closely related to the excellent quality of the milk obtained.
