The Cinta Senese is the progenitor of all pigs in Tuscany, and is characterised by a dark coat with a white band around its front legs.

Already bred by the Etruscans, the Cinta Senese followed the Romans during their migrations. Its natural habitat is the hilly area of the Montagnola Senese, but it soon expanded throughout the territory, thanks to its characteristics of robustness and easy adaptability to free-range farming. This lasted until the 1950s, when the introduction of ”White” pig breeds began: this species could not be bred in the wild but was more prolific than the Cinta and could be slaughtered after only 6 months.

The Cinta Senese pig has a litter of no more than six piglets. Due to its slow metabolism which makes it unsuitable for intensive farming, its takes over a year to develop, feeding on acorns in oak and holm oak forests with other trees like olives and strawberry trees, together with blends of natural grasses. The result is a lean, dense, and highly vascularised muscular structure, with fat deposits of exceptional organoleptic quality.

This particular type of free-range farming gives the meat a unique flavour and character: positive effects on flavour and succulence, redder and tastier fibre, better dietary qualities due to the presence of Omega 3 and Omega 6 unsaturated fatty acids, lard rich in oleic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Moreover, the fat itself is softer and more fluid, allowing aromas to spread more quickly, and resulting in an exquisite experience on the palate.