Our Christmas orders are now closed. You can still buy our Cheese Subscriptions to start in January, as well as book our courses and tasting events. If you want to purchase vouchers you can do so until the 20th December but please note that it can take up to 48 hours for the vouchers to be emailed to you as we process these manually.
We have a full counter of cheese in our shop in Pangbourne so you can still come in and purchase items in store
Price range: £5.10 through £30.60
Parmigiano Reggiano is much more than just a cheese. It’s a symbol of local pride, careful craft, and a long farming tradition. Thanks to its PDO status, every wheel tells the story of its region and the people who make it. From its beginnings in medieval monasteries to its place in today’s kitchens, Parmigiano Reggiano is still the gold standard for cheese lovers. It just goes to show that when something is made with care and patience, it can become really special.
Parmigiano Reggiano PDO reigns as Italy’s most celebrated cheese. Made in a small corner of northern Italy using age-old methods, this hard, crumbly cheese is famous for its full flavour and those lovely little crunchy crystals. You might know it as Parmesan, but the real deal is something special, with a long history and plenty of stories behind it.
Building on this reputation, Parmigiano Reggiano PDO has been around for nearly 900 years, which is quite something. It all started with monks in Parma and Reggio Emilia who needed a way to use up extra milk from their herds. Their solution? Make a big, sturdy cheese that would last for ages and could be sent far and wide.
By the 1200s and 1300s, Parmigiano Reggiano PDO was becoming a famous cheese. It was even mentioned in Boccaccio’s Decameron, where a mountain made entirely of grated Parmesan is imagined. This cheese has long been a cherished part of Italian life. Throughout the ages, Parmigiano Reggiano PDO has stayed much the same, it still comes down to just milk, salt, and rennet.
Parmigiano Reggiano holds Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status under European Union law. This means that only cheese produced in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and parts of Bologna (west of the Reno River) and Mantua (south of the Po River) can legally bear the name. Every wheel must be made from locally sourced cow’s milk, and the cheese can contain only three ingredients: raw cow’s milk, natural whey starter, and calf rennet. Each wheel must then age for at least 12 months. All of this is overseen by the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano, established in 1934 to protect the authenticity and quality of the product.
Thanks to these strict rules, you can always trace a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano right back to where it was made. It’s what sets the real thing apart from the many imitations out there.
Each wheel is a real heavyweight, tipping the scales at nearly 40 kilos and using up about 550 litres of milk. The process begins with the evening milk, left to settle overnight so the cream rises and separates. Next, this settled milk is mixed with fresh morning milk in large copper vats (chosen for their even heat conduction). After stirring and heating, rennet is added, thickening the mixture into curds (solids) and whey (liquid). Finally, the curds are shaped into their familiar rounds.
After a careful three-week soak in salt, each wheel ages on wooden shelves for a minimum of a year; sometimes two, three, or even four years, developing flavour and character with time. Patience allows the secret ingredient of time to work its magic.
It is famous for its crumbly, crystal-flecked texture and those wonderful layers of savoury flavour. It has a pale, straw-coloured interior with a natural golden rind stamped repeatedly with its name and identifying marks. The texture is dry yet mildly creamy on the tongue. It breaks into irregular shards rather than slicing cleanly. Tiny white crystals (tyrosine amino acid crystals) add a pleasant crunch, especially in well-aged wheels.
On the nose, you’ll pick up notes of warm milk, butter, toasted nuts, and sometimes hints of hay or dried fruit. Ours is aged for at least 24 months. It’s full of umami flavours, with a pronounced nuttiness and subtle caramel notes.
Jen’s note: Did you know that in tough times, Italian banks have actually accepted wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano as collateral for loans. Properly stored, these cheeses hold their value for years; so much so that some banks in Emilia-Romagna have vaults full of them!
Sizes and Prices
Storage Advice
Delivery and Collection
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, rennet, salt
Normal opening Monday – Saturday 9am – 4pm until:
Sunday 22nd 9am – 4pm
Monday 23rd 9am – 4pm
Christmas Eve 9am – 12pm
Christmas Day Closed
Boxing Day Closed
Friday 27th Closed
Saturday 28th 9am – 4pm
Sunday 29th Closed
Monday 30th 9am – 2pm
Tuesday 31st 9am – 2pm
New Year’s Day Closed
Thursday 2nd January Closed
Friday 3rd 9am – 4pm then open as normal
After Christmas our courier delivery slots start from 8th January.
