The 'Update from the truffiere', truffle blog.
The aim of the 'Update from the Truffiere' blog is to foster the appreciation and enjoyment of truffles. Our focus is to deliver information that you are interested in so to some extent we hope you will become involved and, as well as enjoy our ramblings, let us know what you think. Your feedback will always be appreciated.
Our blog will have regular updates about what is going both in Australia and overseas including events, prices, season progress and availability. We will have regular feature articles which will dive deeper into specific topics. Our first feature article lands in January, we will be looking at, What are truffles? This is a really complex area which brings us to another aim. Our hope is to make posts as clear, concise and informative as possible, so again please let us know how we are going.
We are really looking forward to this new adventure and we hope you will like it as well.
So here we go! in this first post, we bring you an update on the European truffle scene and the availability of imported truffles here in Australia.
The 2022 European truffle season
Conditions for truffles in Europe continue to be tough. Over the last two years many parts of Europe have experienced drought and this has had an impact on the supply but not necessarily the quality of truffles. As always, if possible you should aim to select the truffles you are going to buy personally. Remember all truffles have their own individual characteristics so they will express their own little personalities in your plate.
The white Alba truffle
The white Alba truffle, continues to be supplied mostly through local families and their beautifully trained dogs (rather than via cultivation). As a result, supply has been impacted and this, during some weeks of the season so far, has sent the prices skyrocketing. Quality however is good. We are coming to the best part of the season for aroma and the price will go up as we approach Christmas.
Location: Istria and Piedmont regions of Italy
Harvest season: October to December
The black Perigord truffle
Drought will not impact these truffles as much as the white Alba because, for the most part, they are cultivated. This means that the price of Perigord truffles will be a bit more stable and reasonable. Again aim to examine your truffles before you buy them to make sure their aroma will suit your purpose.
Location: Italy, France and Spain
Harvest season: December and mid-March
What is the 2022 price of European truffles?
The price of white Alba truffle in Australia
The price of the white Alba truffle depends on its weight. There are three size ranges for which prices are quoted in Italy, >10g, 25-50g and >50g with the >50g being the most expensive. At the time of writing the table below shows the price of the Alba in Europe.
Size | Price/kg |
>10g | €3,530.00 |
25-50g | €4,850.00 |
>50g | €6,440.00 |
Following conversations with the importers we contacted, this transfers into prices here in Australia ranging from between $7,500 to $12,000 per kilo. But don't delay if you are interested, the price from here to Christmas will increase with some importers tipping they will reach up to $15,000 per kilo for the larger truffle.
The price of black Perigord truffle in Australia
Black Perigord truffles from Europe are not available yet.
Where can I get white Alba truffle in Australia?
There are a number of importers of truffles across our major cities. We have included several below. While we have spoken and dealt with these guys over the years we are not recommending them above anyone else, there are many truffle importers out there which you can find via a quick google search. That being said our quick list is below.
Name | State | Phone |
Victoria | 0405 424 860 | |
NSW | 02 9363 0775 | |
NSW | 0403 959 158 | |
Queensland | 0419 774 070 | |
Truffles of Australia | Queensland | 0421 077 705 |