Tuber melanosporum
Black truffles at a glance.
Species, hunting, the season and storage: a guide to discovering black truffles.
Two black truffles to distinguish
Tuber melanosporum is our signature product. Tuber brumale may also be found in winter; it is identified and presented separately.
The months of the season
From 15 November to 15 March. We do not sell fresh truffles outside the season: freshness cannot be preserved indefinitely.
From grove to table
Harvested at maturity, our truffles are sorted and brushed by hand. The available selection depends on the week’s harvest.
The cold zone
On delivery, keep the truffle refrigerated in a clean box with absorbent paper replaced every day.
The art of truffle hunting
Tuber melanosporum lives in symbiosis with oak roots beneath our clay-limestone soils. It is not picked: it is found by scent and lifted only when ripe, never a day earlier.
Its flesh turns from brown to black as it matures, crossed by fine white marbling. At full maturity it reveals notes of damp woodland, cocoa, dark fruit and a trace of musk.
Melanosporum or brumale?
Two winter species, two profiles. Their outer colour alone is not enough to identify them.
The signature product
Tuber melanosporum
Dark flesh traced with a fine network of white veins, with a deep, complex aroma. It is particularly expressive with egg, risotto or poultry when added away from the heat.
Another black truffle
Tuber brumale
A distinct species, often with a more direct, musky aroma. Its cut, marbling, texture and scent are considered together. It has qualities of its own and is never presented as melanosporum.
In the Journal and during our truffle-hunting experiences, we learn to examine them in cross-section and adapt how each is used in the kitchen.
Read the comparison guideOur standards.
Harvested at maturity, our truffles are sorted and brushed by hand. The available selection depends on the week’s harvest.
The search
At dawn, Fripon beside us, we walk through the House oak groves. The dog marks the spot; the truffle is uncovered by hand only when it has reached maturity.
Sorting and selection
Every truffle is carefully brushed, then sized. Selection is exacting: pieces that do not meet the House standards are set aside.
Collect at the estate
Truffles are collected by appointment in Drôme provençale. We do not ship truffles.
Five sizes, one season.
Prices vary weekly with the market and the harvest. Contact us for availability and the current price before your visit.
Discovery
Two guests, one course
Table
A table of four
Signature Truffle
A complete dinner
Reception
A large gathering
Exceptional
Large specimen, subject to the hunt
The season is waiting.
Truffles are collected by appointment in Drôme provençale. We do not ship truffles.
