The truffle of the Sangro Valley

Four genotypes out of the seven in Europe survived here through the last ice age. A true Noah's Ark of the white truffle.

The story

The truffle grounds of Abruzzo

In Abruzzo black truffles are found in the province of L'Aquila: from the south of the Val Roveto to the uplands of the Marsica — Luco and Gioia dei Marsi, Scanno, Pescasseroli — including the Fucino area, the basin of L'Aquila and the lower slopes of the Gran Sasso. Other areas are the Capestrano basin, the Peligna valley and the Navelli plateau. In the province of Chieti they are found at Altino, Casoli, Borrello, Rosello, Roio del Sangro, Pizzoferrato, Quadri, Guardiagrele, Fara San Martino and Lama dei Peligni.

The prized white truffle

Of particular importance is the production of the prized white truffle of the Sangro Valley, south of the Maiella: from the municipality of Castel di Sangro down along the course of the Sangro and the Trigno, taking in the municipalities of Rosello, Borrello, Pizzoferrato, Quadri, Torrebruna and Carunchio.

It is in this very area that, during the last glacial period, four truffle genotypes out of the seven present in the whole of Europe survived, later to spread back across the continent. One can fairly speak of a Noah's Ark of the white truffle.

Although this great resource has always been here, it is only in the past fifteen years that several family firms have begun to make something of it, creating a range of products. Quadri, which holds the truffle fair in summer, has become one of its main centres.

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