Fresh truffle is a seasonal product. Which variety ends up on your plate depends on when you order — and each variety tastes distinctly different.
The seasonal calendar at a glance
- Summer truffle (Tuber aestivum): May to September
- Burgundy truffle (Tuber uncinatum): September to January
- White Alba truffle (Tuber magnatum): October to December
- Périgord truffle (Tuber melanosporum): November to March
The harvest depends on the weather. A dry summer pushes the start of the season back; a mild autumn extends it. These dates are guidelines, not fixed dates.
Summer truffle — the place to start
The flesh is pale with fine white veining, the aroma nutty and restrained. Most people trying fresh summer truffle for the first time start here: the price is the lowest of the four varieties, and its mild aroma doesn’t overpower anything.
Good with pasta, scrambled eggs, salads and carpaccio. Shave a little more generously than with the winter varieties.
Burgundy truffle — the autumn truffle
Darker than the summer truffle, with hazelnut-brown flesh and a much stronger aroma. Botanically, summer and Burgundy truffles are now considered the same species — they are distinguished by harvest time and ripeness. The Burgundy truffle is harvested later and has more time to ripen.
For many, it offers the best value for aroma in our range. A classic with risotto, pasta and potato dishes.
White Alba truffle — the short, precious season
The white Alba truffle is the rarest and most expensive truffle. Its scent is penetrating, with notes of garlic, honey and hay — you can smell it the moment the tin is opened. The flesh is cream-coloured to ochre-yellow.
White truffle is never heated; it is shaved raw over the finished dish. Thanks to its intensity, 3 to 5 g per person is enough. The season lasts only a few weeks, and the tubers keep for less time than black truffles.
Périgord truffle — the winter classic
Deep black flesh with fine white marbling, and an intense, earthy aroma with notes of cocoa and forest floor. The Périgord truffle is considered the finest black truffle.
Unlike white truffle, it tolerates gentle heat: tossed in butter or shaved over the warm dish just before serving. A classic with beef fillet, mashed potato and sauces.
Which truffle to buy when?
In summer there is only one choice; in November there are three. If you order between October and December, Burgundy, Alba and the first Périgord truffles overlap — the most exciting time of year for truffle lovers.
As a gift, the period before Christmas is particularly good, because all the winter varieties are available then. Order in good time: we ship fresh truffles Tuesday to Thursday, and demand is highest in December.
You’ll find our current range under Fresh Truffles. How to keep the tubers after they arrive is explained in our article How to store truffles.
We supply larger quantities for restaurants and the hospitality trade on request.