A MEAGER SEASON AND SKY HIGH PRICES (1.500 EUROS / KILO) FOR THE 2015 VINTAGE OF WHITE TRUFFLES, PIEDMONT, TUSCANY, MARCHE AND UMBRIA TRUFFLE HUNTERS TOLD WINENEWS. GOURMETS AND RESTAURANTS ARE HAPPY BECAUSE IT WILL BE A LONG SEASON.

The predictions were correct and the rains came in Langhe, and will be arriving in the next few days in Tuscany, too, exactly where the truffle hunters had hoped it would rain: on the most suitable territories for the prestigious white truffle. The rains came at the right moment, following the exceptionally hot summer this year, the crescent moon of September and now the autumn chill. It’s really too hot, however, they told WineNews, in Marche and Umbria. That's why the 2015 season of white truffles in Italy, will be meager, very meager, and prices will skyrocket (the price is already 1500 euros per kilo, where the harvest has begun).
In Alba, the 4.000 Piedmont truffle hunters began searching on Monday, a bit late, according to the National Center of Alba Truffle Studies, but harvesting will last well beyond the Christmas season, bringing even better tasting and more fragrant truffles, to the delight of gourmets and restaurateurs. As for prices, the first evaluations will be out about a week after harvest, which means we will have to wait till the beginning of the 85th "International White Truffle Fair of Alba", (October 10th to November 15th, and the famous World Auction), for the best specimens.
The Italian Premier Matteo Renzi, now a frequent participant at Italian wine and food events, will attend. He recently attended the dinner-bilateral meeting with French President Francois Hollande at the Osteria Francescana in Modena, (where Chef Massimo Bottura served the "The French Chef’s dream of making pasta like an Italian Chef": a single thick ravioli stuffed with fois gras and touches of other great French dishes, topped with white truffle).
In Tuscany, the best suited areas for white truffles form the Crete Senesi to San Miniato, where estimates started more than a week ago, Truffle Hunter Associations of Siena and San Miniato Hills are unanimous and told Winenews that 2015 is meager and there are lot fewer truffles than 2014. In just one week of searching in San Giovanni d’Asso the results show prices of Crete Senesi white truffles, which were already high, going through the roof climbing from 1.000 to 1.500 euros per kilo in just a few days. It hasn’t rained in Marche and in Acqualagna, Italian Federation of Associated Truffle Growers said, “it is difficult to make estimates because harvesting will begin on October 1st. The summer drought helped save the wetter and sandier places, but we think there will be fewer truffles than in 2014”. Finally, a look at Umbria, where harvesting begins on the last Sunday of September, but, even here, the truffles are few and prices will be high, due to high temperatures, too little rain and the lack of cool humidity truffles relish. If this weather continues, the October harvest will be not be good. It will be better in November, later in the season, which is why it is better to wait if you want to eat a good truffle.

Focus - From Alba to Crete Senesi, here is the agenda for buying and tasting Italian white truffles.
On November 8th, the ''World Auction of the White Truffle of Alba". Every year, the heart of the harvest season in Piedmont coincides with the "International Fair of White Truffle of Alba", from October 10th to November 15th. Two months of events will highlight the splendid Unesco World Heritage Site territories of Alba, Langhe and Roero. The 85th edition will be dedicated to the truffle dog, a true local institution, and the king of tubers will be the star at the World White Truffle of Alba Market, alongside the Foodies Moments with great chefs from Piedmont.
Finally, there are many folklore events around the Fair and historical parades in period costumes and the ceremony of nominating the Magistrate. The grand finale, on November 8th will be the traditional World Alba White Truffle Auction (www.fieradeltartufo.org).
The "Exhibition of the Crete Senesi white truffle” is scheduled for November 7th and 8th and November 14th and 15th (www.museodeltartufo.it) in San Giovanni d’Asso. Continuing in Tuscany, the "National Exhibition of the White Truffle of San Miniato" will take place instead on November14-15, 21-22, 28-29 and 5-6 of December 5th and 6th (www.sanminiatopromozione.it). In Acqualagna, truffles can be bought and tasted from October 25th to 31st and November 1st to 15th (www.acqualagna.com). In Umbria, at Citta’ del Castello, "The White Truffle - International Exhibition" will be held from October 29th to November 1st (www.iltartufobianco.it).