As a freshly harvested delicacy, white truffles have a shelf life of only a few days, so they are shipped worldwide via express air freight to top restaurants. A better idea? Why not try them right where they’re grown? Join a culinary tour around Alba — preferably in November. PHOTO: © Giorgio Pulcini | Stock.Adobe.com

International Truffle Fair, October 10–December 6

The Tuber magnatum Pico season is just beginning around Alba in Piedmont, Italy. From October 10 to December 6, 2026, the 96th International White Truffle Fair will take place here. This year’s theme, “Autentiche Relazioni,” highlights the connections between nature, the landscape, people, and truffle culture.

How sustainable are truffles?

Truffles cannot be considered in isolation from their environment. White truffles live in a mycorrhizal symbiosis with trees and depend on specific soil, moisture, and temperature conditions to survive.

Traditionally, truffles are sought on foot with trained dogs. (Pigs have long been banned because they destroy the soil.) Therefore, truffles are a natural product, far removed from industrial agriculture, and an inherently sustainable food.

Exactly because they cannot be cultivated as a mass-produced commodity yet are sought after worldwide, truffles have aroused a level of desire that has even led to criminal activity.

Mushrooms are suffering due to climate change

Another problem: the delicate truffle fungus is clearly feeling the effects of climate change. Longer dry spells and higher temperatures can hinder its growth. Therefore, a recent Italian study is investigating whether targeted irrigation could make natural truffle-growing regions more resilient to future droughts.

Our recommendation: A culinary trip to Piedmont

In Piedmont, where white truffles are an integral part of the regional culinary culture, you can sample them in various dishes, such as tajarin, risotto, or even with a simple egg. And certified Tartufo Bianco d’Alba are sold directly by truffle hunters and vendors at the official truffle market in Alba.

A great starting point for exploring the area is Rocche di Montexelo in Monticello d’Alba. Its hosts, Irene and Roberto, are culinary experts who even organize guided truffle tours for guests.

Passender Ausgangspunkt sind die Rocche di Montexelo in Monticello d’Alba. Die Gastgeber Irene und Roberto kennen sich bestens mit Kulinarik aus und organisieren für ihre Gäste sogar geführte Trüffel-Touren.

In this way, a luxury product becomes what it was originally: a seasonal specialty inextricably linked to its landscape.