TRUFFLES: Buried Gastronomic Treasures

              Truffle treasures are displayed by this Wine-Knows participant on the last truffle tour 

Truffles are the world’s most expensive epicurean item.  A type of exotic fungus that grows underneath the roots of certain trees such as hazelnut, oak, or pine, truffles are found by special breeds of dogs with a  heightened sense of smell.  Trained to find these highly fragrant edibles concealed mere inches under the forest’s floor, the dogs themselves are highly-prized.  Due to the exorbitant price of truffles, these highly trained canines have become equally valuable (some have actually been stolen and held for ransom).  No joke.

     Truffles, weighed tableside in restaurants before serving, can easily add >$100 to a dish

Piedmont is home to the tartufo bianco.  This white truffle, known as the “King of Truffles,” is a coveted culinary diamond by Michelin star chefs around the globe. Tartufo bianco is the most intensely flavored of the many varieties of truffles.   Its step-sister, the not-as fragrant-nor-as-intensely-flavored black truffle, is grown in several parts of the world, but it’s the luxurious white truffle which gourmands covet…and are willing to pay mega Euros for this buried edible masterpiece.

                         Alba's Truffle Festival is Italy's largest & most significant food event

The charming medieval town of Alba is the epicenter for the annual White Truffle Festival in October, a decadent month-long food gala celebrating Italy’s most precious gastronomic pleasure.  Autumn weekends are grid-lock with food aficionados from around the world descending on Alba for smells and tastes of the intoxicating white truffle.  They come for the pageantry honoring the truffle:  Medieval parades, music, dancing, truffle hunts & cooking classes.  The fact that Piedmont is also home to the super-star wines of Barolo and Barbaresco is an added bonus.

                Colorful truffle hunters hawk their gastronomic wares at the Truffle Festival

Wine-Knows' Truffle Festival tour to Piedmont this October is sold out with a waiting list.  If you have one of these coveted spots, prepare to taste truffles in a variety of forms:  truffle butter, truffle salami, truffle cheese, truffle paste, truffle sauce, truffle olive oil.  There are also bags of dry risotto with truffles, or even truffle pasta to bring home in your suitcase.

Valentine's Day is approaching.  Why not splurge and have truffles to celebrate?  Amazon can have them in your doorstep in a matter of days.  If it's made from a white truffle, you'll have an early taste of Piedmont.

Barolo & Barbaresco Are the Same Grape!

                Barolo’s geography, soil & weather are different from nearby Barbaresco

Barolo and Barbaresco are among the greatest red wines on planet earth.  Both of these wines, produced at the foot of the Italian Alps in the Piedmont region, are full-bodied, complex wines.  The Nebbiolo grape is the parent of both Barolo and Barbaresco.  If the Nebbiolo is grown near the village of Barolo, it is called a Barolo.  If the Nebbiolo is planted within the perimeters of Barbaresco village, this Nebbiolo becomes a Barbaresco.

Both Barbaresco & Barolo villages are part of a protected landscape by UNESCO

 Although the communes of Barolo and Barbaresco are located only ten miles apart, the climate and geography produce some distinct differences.  For example, the ripening period in Barolo is slower due to its higher altitudes and a cooler climate.  Barbaresco, in contrast, ripens earlier because to its lower altitude and the moderating marine influence of its nearby river.  Soils are also dissimilar:  the soils of Barolo are sand and clay, while Barbaresco is sand and limestone.

So how does the above terroir differences translate into a wine glass?  Barolo’s robust, full-bodied style generally has higher tannins. For flavor profile, think of Barolo as dark fruits (black cherries, plums), laced with Nebbiolo’s classical taste of roses.   As it ages Barolo’s profile moves toward leather, licorice and even truffles.  On the other hand, Barbaresco is the more feminine of the two:  refined tannins produce a more elegant wine, slightly lighter-bodied.   Barbaresco offers more gentle fruit favors (red fruit versus black).  Like Barolo, Barbaresco also has the rose floral component, as well as licorice.

      In Barbaresco the Nebbiolo grape has a more feminine expression due to its softer tannins

Barolo is often referred to as the “King of Piedmont” wines.  That being said, many consider Barbaresco to be the “Queen.”   Both wines pair gorgeously with the region’s famous white truffles, as well as its funghi porcini (wild mushrooms), Fassona beef (among Italy’s most prized meats, it’s leaner than the others), wild game, and cheeses from the foothills of the nearby Alps.  

 

May your 2026 include many Barolos and Barbarescos!

HAPPY NEW YEAR