Black winter truffle (Tuber melanosporum)
The black winter truffle is Tuber melanosporum, known in Italy as tartufo nero pregiato and in France as truffe du Périgord. According to Italian truffle law, it is harvested from mid-November to mid-March and features a black, rough skin and black-violet flesh with fine white veins.
Black truffle is a collective term
In Italy, seven marketable truffle species have a dark skin. Therefore, a label bearing only "black truffle" or "tartufo nero" may also contain summer truffle. The Latin name indicates which species it is.
Two winter truffles
Italian law uses the name tartufo nero d'inverno, literally black winter truffle, for a different species: Tuber brumale. It ripens during the same winter and resembles the melanosporum on the outside.
| Black winter truffle | Tuber brumale | |
|---|---|---|
| Italian name | tartufo nero pregiato | tartufo nero d'inverno |
| Flesh | Black-violet, fine white veins | Grey-black, distinct white veins |
| Aroma | Delicate and very pleasant | Little aroma |
Tuber indicum
Tuber indicum from Asia strongly resembles the melanosporum. In Italy, it is not permitted to be sold as a fresh truffle. The Latin name on the label shows which species is in the product.
How to read the label
Look for the Latin name Tuber melanosporum, the truffle percentage, and the aroma designation in the list of ingredients. You can read what that designation means in the aroma ladder. Black truffle from the summer or autumn is a different species; see summer truffle and autumn truffle.
Black truffle in our shop
For every product containing black truffle, you will see the species, the percentage, the aroma designation, and the harvest month, as confirmed to us by the producer.