Chianina, the white giant

Discovering the most majestic bovine in the world

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logo vitellone biancoValdichiana is the homeland of the Chianina cattle breed and it is the place where the real Chianina PGI meat can be found. From the farmer to the caterer, a shared network has been set up in the valley to provide the consumer with the quality assurance, which is certified and recognizable by the "White Central Appennine Steer” PGI trademark.

In the territory, the activities of valorization of the Chianina are promoted by the Amici della Chianina association which for 15 years has been carrying out the project “La Valle del Gigante Bianco” in which all the municipalities of the Valdichiana have subsequently taken part.

These activities are also created in collaboration with Consortium for the Protection of the White Steer of the Central Apennine which has been entrusted with the protection of the PGI trademark. Its role also consists in the assignement of the label to companies, based on a disciplinary protocol containing the rules for breeding, slaughtering and a meat production characterized by ethics and respect for traditions. The Consortium has its own operational headquarters in Bettolle, in the heart of Valdichiana, from where it works alongside breeders and producers in the provinces of Arezzo and Siena, as well as monitoring the market for the safeguarding of the PGI mark and the prevention of abuses, acts of unfair competition and misuse.

 

The aim of the chianinavalley.eu project is to provide a guide to identify the real Chianina meat, presenting the companies that have subscribed the specification and that daily strive to respect its standards. Within the portal, therefore, the farms where you can admire the grazing cattle will be indicated, togheter with the butcher shops where you can find PGI brand products, the restaurants where you can taste the dishes prepared with this excellence, the accommodation facilities to rely on for an aware and in-depth discovery of the Valdichiana, and the events dedicated to this bovine breed.

The real PGI Chianina: how to recognize it and where to find it

The Valdichiana is the native land of the Chianina breed, but one should not assume that the real PGI Chianina can be found in any farm, butcher shop and restaurant in the valley.

The term Chianina always defines the breed, but not the product. So how to recognize PGI Chianina?
Commercial activities must display the “White Central Appennine Steer” brand.

Even in butcher shops, the meat must bear the imprinted brand.

It is a certification of guarantee and quality of pure Chianina breed, assigned exclusively to meat from young and lean cattle, with a healthy diet based on forages typical of the farming area.
The high-quality organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of the meat identified by the PGI brand make it a particularly suitable food also for children, for whom a healthy, balanced diet rich in proteins is important.
UA useful tip? When you are at the restaurant, do not just ask for a Florentine steak, but specifically ask for PGI Chianina.

Visit the Consortium map

The friendly accommodation facilities of the Chianina

Experience Chianina at 360 ° by staying in the facilities that affix the plaque “Amiche della Chianina” (Friends of Chianina).
This recognition is aimed at promoting an informed and responsible tourist experience in accommodation facilities that ensure compliance with shared standards for a hospitality marked by the respect for the ethical and environmental values typical of our territory.
The facilities "Amiche della Chianina" commit to adhering to the following “Carta Etica dell’Accoglienza” (Ethical Charter of Hospitality)

Ethics charter Friendly structures

 

Chianina, from Ezio Marchi to present day

The Chianina breed is currently the result of a selection started in the last century and operated by Professor Ezio Marchi, considered the "father of the Chianina". Born in Bettolle in 1869, Ezio Marchi contributed significantly to the development of traditional animal husbandry, aiming to improve the living conditions of the population by spreading the consumption of meat, milk and diary products. His research work and the genetic improvement of the breed was later carried on by Professor Renzo Giuliani - director of the Zootechnical Institute of the University of Florence - who in 1927 began a selection work in two factories of Bettolle, owned by Count Passerini and Count Puccio Prefumo.

 

Following the remarkable results obtained, the then Minister of Agriculture decided to extend this work to all the other farms in the Valdichiana. The selection – based on scintific methods - has thus continued until today, transforming a historically working animal into a meat animal, with a century of genetic improvement that has allowed the Chianina to reach its current fame thanks to its fine taste and its unique characteristics. For its qualities and its adaptability, this bovine has been exported to other countries with the aim of improving the local breeds, from America to Australia. Finally, in recent years, a process has been launched to enhance the Chianina in its area of ​​origin to promote the rediscovery of its centuries-old history, origins and gastronomic use.