Truffle Guide
Truffle Season Calendar: Which Truffles Are Available Each Month
Sep
Fresh truffles are a seasonal product, and each species has its own harvest window. In Italy these windows are set by national law (Law 752 of 1985), and each region can adjust the dates to suit its climate. Weather matters too: a dry summer or a warm autumn can make a season start late or finish early. On top of that, the southern hemisphere adds a second black truffle season in the European summer.
Use this truffle season calendar to know which fresh truffles to look for each month.
Italy’s official truffle calendar
| Truffle | Latin name | National harvest dates |
|---|---|---|
| White truffle | Tuber magnatum | 1 October – 31 December |
| Black winter truffle | Tuber melanosporum | 15 November – 15 March |
| Musky black truffle | Tuber brumale var. moschatum | 15 November – 15 March |
| Summer truffle (scorzone) | Tuber aestivum | 1 May – 30 November |
| Burgundy truffle | Tuber uncinatum | 1 October – 31 December |
| Winter black truffle | Tuber brumale | 1 January – 15 March |
| Bianchetto (marzuolo) | Tuber borchii | 15 January – 30 April |
| Smooth black truffle | Tuber macrosporum | 1 September – 31 December |
| Bagnoli truffle | Tuber mesentericum | 1 September – 31 January |
Regions can move these dates, so the exact season varies from place to place and from year to year.
Truffle season month by month
January to March – black winter truffle at its best
January is the peak of the black winter truffle season, when the truffles are fully ripe and most aromatic. The winter black truffle (Tuber brumale) is also harvested, and from mid-January the first bianchetto truffles appear. In some regions the white truffle season runs into January.
April – the last bianchetto
The black winter truffle season has closed, and April is the final month for bianchetto. It is a quiet month for fresh truffles, and a good time to cook with preserved truffles and truffle creams.
May to August – summer truffle and the Australian season
The summer truffle (scorzone) arrives in May and is at its best through the warm months. From around June, the southern hemisphere season begins: black winter truffles from Australia are harvested from about June to September, so you can enjoy black winter truffles even in the Maltese summer.
September – a season of change
Summer truffles are still available, the smooth black and Bagnoli truffles start, and the Australian season comes to an end. Everyone starts waiting for the first white truffles.
October to December – white truffle season
Autumn is the most exciting time of the truffle year. The white truffle season opens in October, with the famous fair in Alba and truffle festivals across Italy. The Burgundy truffle is also in season, and from mid-November (in some regions from December) the first black winter truffles are harvested – perfect for Christmas menus.
Quick guide: what to buy each month
| Month | Fresh truffles to look for |
|---|---|
| January | Black winter, winter black, bianchetto |
| February – March | Black winter, winter black, bianchetto |
| April | Bianchetto |
| May | Summer truffle |
| June – August | Summer truffle, Australian black winter truffle |
| September | Summer truffle, Australian black winter truffle (end of season) |
| October – November | White truffle, Burgundy truffle; black winter truffle from mid-November |
| December | White truffle, Burgundy truffle, black winter truffle |
How to store fresh truffles
- Clean the truffle only just before using it, with a soft brush – never wash it under the tap.
- Wrap it in kitchen paper and keep it in a closed glass jar in the fridge.
- Change the paper every day, as it absorbs moisture.
- Use it as soon as possible: the aroma is at its best in the first few days, and a fresh truffle should be used within about a week.
- Don’t store truffles in rice – the rice absorbs the aroma and dries the truffle out.
Fresh truffles in Malta, all year round
Truffles & Co follows the truffle seasons of Italy, France and Australia so there is usually a fresh truffle available. Check what is in stock in our fresh truffles section, and read our guide to the types of truffles to choose the right one.
Buy truffles in Malta. Truffles & Co delivers fresh truffles and truffle products across Malta and Gozo. Chefs, restaurants and hotels can call 00356 99022541 or email info@trufflesandco.com for availability and larger quantities.