The Morese family originally lived in France, more precisely in Provence until, in 1265, Matteo Morese travelled to the Kingdom of Naples in the court of Charles of Anjou. Initially based in Naples, many members of the family assumed important public offices. In the XV century Matteo’s descendents moved from Naples to Montecorvino Pugliano, a village overlooking the plains of the Piana del Sele, where they lived for about three centuries. In 1494, in the time of Battista Morese, the family was officially recognised as ancient nobility by King Alfonso II of Aragon.
In 1694 Geronimo Morese bought the Auteta Estate, still today in the family’s possession as can be seen on the original parchment deed of sale. Then in 1754 his son Gaspare began to breed buffaloes and pedigree mares. Since then the buffalo has always been present on the farm, even in the post-war years when it became associated with extensive farming under private ownership and risked extinction.
In 1995, Alberto Morese opened the Taverna Penta Dairy, and buffalo mozzarella was once again produced on the farm, just as it had been until the 1930s. In 2013, Filippo, Alberto’s son, after a long restoration of Taverna Penta, opened the yoghurt bar, where buffalo milk is always the base of all the products made. In 2018, the restoration of the old Auteta farm building was completed, and some cozy apartments were created within it to accommodate families wishing to spend a vacation in the countryside. The ground-floor rooms are dedicated to hosting groups visiting the farm. Since 2020, an ambitious renovation program of the livestock center has been underway, with the construction of modern stables that respect animal welfare and biosafety principles. In 2024, the restoration of the ancient ox stable at Taverna Penta was completed, and it now hosts corporate events and meetings. In 2025, the installation of a 92 kWh photovoltaic system further improves the farm’s sustainability.
