"Tuber Melanosporum Vitt" 
 "Il tartufo nero pregiato"

For the winter, Black truffle “Tuber Melanosporum Vitt” the soil has to be calcareous and coarse-grained (sand, granular structure), which is able to easily absorb water, and encourages the development of the roots on the surface. The terrain must have a percentage of clay below 40%, otherwise, the water cannot penetrate and will create an asphyxiate condition. These terrains often are located around hills where the trees are six to twelve meters apart creating clean groves. 

The Melanosporum grow mainly in symbiosis with varieties of oak: Holm Oak (roverella); Downy Oak (leccio); Turkey Oak (cerro); Bigleaf Linden (tiglio); Hazelnut; and Black Carpinus.

The areas where the Melanosporum grows in good quantity and quality have exposure to the South or South-East.  It also requires a good penetration of light and the soil has to absorb the heat of the sun. Unlike the white truffle the Melanosporum can be found at 1, 100 meters of altitude. Also in this case the pH of the terrain can vary from 7 to 8.5.

The Tuber Melanosporum Vitt is known in Italy as the “Truffle from Norcia” .  The French refer to this same delicacy as the “Truffle de Perigord”.  After the white truffles, the black Melanosporum Vitt are considered the most valuable and are considered an integral part of international cuisine. The fruit of the truffle is black, roughly spherical and covered with small diamond-shaped projections, making them look like small, misshapen, dark-colored stones. The texture of the brown and blackish flesh or “gleba” of this truffle is so delicate that after touching it, it turns a red color with rust-colored undertones.  Unlike the Winter Truffle (Tuber brumale vittadini), the white veins of this flesh are deeply defined and contrast boldly against the deep black pulp of the fruit, which often turns slightly violet. As we mentioned, usually the truffles thrive in an environment lacking in vegetation due to the actions of the mycelium, or fungus, common to the area. It is also possible to notice the presence of a particular kind of fly, the Anisotoma Cinnamomea, which deposits its eggs close to the truffles. This fly can also be helpful to the hunter to locate the truffle. The harvesting season begins in December and continues through March. Renowned for its aroma, the black truffle can be described as intense, aromatic and fruity.  It is a complex mix of slightly sweet notes with earthy undertones.  The most aromatic of the black truffles can be found among those harvested in the months of January, February until the middle of March.

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