Castelgrotta: Vicenza’s cheese aged in a bomb shelter

THE STORY ↓
WHERE TO EAT↓

→ The wartime shelter beneath the castle

During the Second World War, residents of Schio could seek protection beneath the town’s castle hill. The shelter was close to the streets and squares of the historic centre, with a long gallery and side chambers excavated into the rock. Decades later, these underground rooms were chosen for a project devoted to local food. At their inauguration in May 2010, they already housed Castelgrotta, a goat’s cheese and a Durello wine named Ascledum. The former refuge had become a working cellar for the town’s agricultural produce.

→ Castelgrotta and the cheesemaker behind it

The idea of maturing cheese underground came to cheesemaker Renzo Bistore in 2006. A search for suitable premises eventually led to Schio. Castelgrotta, made by Latterie Vicentine, developed a supple, pale interior and a delicate flavour during its maturation, spending at least five months in the grotto. It received Schio’s De.Co., the municipal designation recognising products associated with the town. L'Eco Vicentino

In October 2022, its production was discontinued following Bistore’s retirement. The cooperative cited the difficulty and expense of maintaining the cheese without his particular expertise and announced that Brenta Selezione Oro would succeed it.

→ Latterie Vicentine keeps the restored cellar at work

Latterie Vicentine is a dairy cooperative based in Bressanvido, in the province of Vicenza, making cheese from milk supplied by its member farms. It had managed the recovered shelter since the cellar’s inauguration in 2010 and continued ageing cheese there after Castelgrotta’s production ceased. The product now associated with those galleries is Brenta Oro, previously called Brenta Selezione Oro.  The cooperative’s work has preserved an everyday purpose for the former refuge. Rows of cheese wheels occupy the underground chambers, while special openings allow visitors to see the maturation cellar and taste its produce.

→ What to taste today

Brenta Oro has a thin, honey coloured rind and a compact paste that softens on the palate. Its aromas suggest dried hay and spice, followed by flavours of melted butter, dried fruit and hazelnut. The producer recommends walnuts, ripe pears or figs alongside it, with chestnut honey or quince mostarda, a fruit preserve with mustard, for a more elaborate cheese board.  Request Brenta Oro at the cooperative’s shops in Schio or Vicenza. It is sold in portions as well as whole wheels, making it a practical purchase for a picnic or a tasting at your accommodation.

→ An aperitivo below ground

The cooperative has also used the restored shelter for its Brenta Experience, combining a historical visit with a guided introduction to cheese maturation. One evening brought historian Ugo De Grandis and cheese maturer Claudio Guglielmi into the galleries, followed by an aperitivo of cheeses, cured meats, artisan bread, preserved vegetables and wines from Cantina Breganze. That opening took place in June 2026. Contact Latterie Vicentine for newly announced visits and tastings before planning an underground visit; the shops remain the regular addresses for buying the cheese.

WHERE TO FIND CASTELGROTTA

FOR BUYING CHEESE IN SCHIO

Spaccio Latterie Vicentine

Via Vicenza 20, Schio, Vicenza
Phone +39 0445 514680

Latterie Vicentine’s shop in Schio is the address for buying Brenta Oro, the cheese currently matured beneath the town’s castle hill. Ask about the portions available and confirm stock before travelling specifically for it.

FOR EATING IT IN VICENZA CITY

Locanda Veneta

Via Battaglione Valtellina 138, Vicenza
Phone +39 0444 962395 Email: info@locandaveneta.it

The restaurant’s published sample menus for groups of at least 15 include a crisp truffled egg with Castelgrotta fondue. When enquiring, ask which cheese the kitchen currently uses and whether the dish can be arranged for your booking.

FOR THE CAVE ITSELF

Grotta sotto il Castello di Schio

Via Giovanni Battista Conte, Schio, province of Vicenza. 

Enquiries: Latterie Vicentine, +39 0444 1425000. Email: info@latterievicentine.it 

The former wartime shelter has hosted guided visits and tastings organised by Latterie Vicentine, combining the history of the underground galleries with an introduction to Brenta Oro maturation. Contact the cooperative about forthcoming openings and reservations before including the cellar in your visit to Schio.