5 things you must know before starting a truffle hunt

At Josetta Saffirio Wines we usually organise Truffle hunts with the so called Trifulau, the truffle seeker, and his Tabui, the truffle dog. Would you like to live this experience but don't know what to expect? Never mind, we'll tell you 5 things you must know before booking it!

1. Truffle Hunt: when is truffle season?
From the middle of September to the end of December the Trifulau from Alba scours the secret pathways among the hills of the Langhe and Roero areas. Indeed the white truffle reaches maturity in autumn and is at its best from October onwards.

2. Who is the Trifulau?

The Trifulau is the truffle seeker who wanders into the woods and Langhe hills with his dog in search of the precious truffles. 

3. Who's Tabui?

The Tabui is the hound of Trifulau. It is his irreplaceable mate in the search for truffles!

Did you know? Tabui attends university too! We're not joking! At Roddi d'Alba there's the truffle dogs University where they are trained to become infallible.



4.How's a Truffle Hunt?

The truffle hunt usually takes place at night because the dogs are less disturbed and even because the darkness hides the truffle hunter from curious eyes. After walking through the woods, often moving to and from. Suddenly it chuffes the scent in a precise point and starts to turn the earth to catch the Trifulau's attention. The Trifulau uses his sapin, a small hoe to dig and opens all the hole where the dog started digging, after that he pulls out the truffle by hands causing an explosion of fragrance.

5. How the truffle hunting at Josetta Saffirio Wines carries out

We usually organise truffle hunts for truffle lovers or for those of you who are really fascinated from this unique experience. The tours are both in English and Italian!

Truffles are previously buried by the Trifulau in order to give a demonstration of their work and the Tabui's one. Since the hunt takes place in a natural truffle setting, we may also found truffles that haven't been buried artificially but that naturally grown on site.

Our Trifulau's name is Luca while his dog is Willi. During our guided truffle hunt Luca will tell you all the proprieties and secrets of the tuber magnatum pico or truffle: its ideal habitat, the plants and the woods where it grows, how to recognise it, methods of collection and preservation and how he trains and educates his faithfull truffle dog, 

After the truffle hunt you'll taste our wines matched with typical piedmontese food!

To know more about our truffle hunt, read here or book it here!