grading truffles

There is one very important thing to always remember when looking to buy truffles: winter is the peak of the truffle season. So no matter what they say, a truffle will be at its best, and most flavorful during the winter harvest, which typically goes from October to March and peaks December to January. Also, you must remember that weather conditions change depending on the year and the geographic location, so there are other factors that affect truffle harvests, like an unusually warm winter, or an early spring.

Truffles are categorized according to color - black or white - and season — winter or summer- but you will also find other categories relating to origin, such as Italian or French truffles, which you should really ignore, as it really does not make a difference in flavor or quality (unless its categorized “Asian” in which case it indicates a different species of mushroom altogether- see our Chinese Truffles Section).

Truffle Cheat Chart

Piedmont Truffle White Truffle from Alba Italian White Truffle	Winter White Truffle	Tuber Magnatum Pico	October - end of December
Perigord Truffle The Black Diamond of Provence Tarfutti Bianco	Winter Black Truffle	Tuber Melanosporum Vitt	December - mid March
Perigord Truffle The Black Diamond of Provence		Tuber Brumale; Tuber Brumale Vitt.	January - mid March
Truffe de la St. Jean	Summer Black Truffle	Tuber Aestivum	August
Marzuili Truffle	Summer White Truffle	Tuber Magnatum Pico, Tuber Borchii	May - end of August

Grades

Within every seasonal and color category, you will also find grades, marks of quality that will typically indicate price and availability. One important detail to remember is that bigger truffles fetch bigger prices because truffles are priced by weight, not size. So, a bigger truffle will be heavier, and therefore cost more. Size does not affect the flavor, aroma or quality of truffles.

Super Extra

The best, largest truffles, almost the size of a grapefruit. Very rare to find, and very expensive.

Extra Grade

Oblong truffles about the size of ping-pong balls that are popularly used at restaurants. Constitute about ten percent of the crops and are fairly expensive.

First Choise

The ones you'll most commonly be able to find (and afford), these are the lower grade truffles. They vary in size, typically about the size of large berries.