A white truffle of as much as 850 grams was sold at Alba near Turin for €85,000, or €100 per gram.
The truffle was sold to a Hong Kong customer whose identity was not disclosed.
Alba has hosted truffle auctions for 88 years as part of its annual truffle fair, which goes on for around two months, during which the rare, unique fragrant mushrooms are sold at auction.
The white truffles of the Alba region are highly sought after and are unearthed between September 21 and January 31.
White Truffle
“It is characterized by an intense perfume, which conjures romantic encounters, the forests, nature. It is very evocative,” said Antonio Degiacomi, head of Italy’s National Centre for Truffle Studies.
According to him, the season was good because there was little precipitation in July, but enough for those species of mushrooms that grow deep under the surface of the earth, with the roots of some trees.
White Truffle
