| ORDER
OF THE KNIGHTS OF THE TRUFFLE AND WINES OF ALBA
The Order of the Knights
of the Truffle and Wines of Alba was founded on 22nd February
1967.
It is a food and wine confraternity which sets out to
preserve, protect and re-introduce local traditions, practices
and customs.
In its Charter, the purpose of the Order is declared as
being “to promote and defend the authentic gastronomy,
wines and all the marvellous, unmistakeable produce of
the land of Alba and the Langhe”.
The Order – which is led by a Grand Master and a
Governing Council – has more than 200 members spread
throughout Italy and abroad, with particularly well-established
groups in Alba, Turin, Genoa, Milan, Rome, Lucerne and
Lausanne; delegations have also been formed in Argentina
and Hong Kong, where meetings are held to put pairings
of local food with the fine wines of the Alba area to
the test.
The Order of the Knights of the Truffle and Wines of Alba
set up the “Alba Wine Routes” Association
to signpost the places in which fine wines, local produce
and traditional cuisine can be found by tourists.
The Order contributed to the setting up of the “Enoteca
Regionale Piemontese”, the first enoteca in the
Region of Piedmont. Based in Grinzane Cavour Castle, it
welcomes thousands of visitors each year, who can taste
and purchase the wines produced by the many cellars in
the area which are selected by the Enoteca in accordance
with precise regulations.
The “Trattoria dell’Enoteca” housed
in the historic Castle serves traditional dishes, and
hosts meetings of the Order of the Knights of the Truffle
and Wines of Alba - called Chapters - in which topics
relating to food and wine are discussed and dishes prepared
following traditional recipes are tasted, accompanied
by the finest wines selected by the Order’s experts.
Each year since 1974 a tasting committee has prepared
a “Selection of the Great Wines of Alba” under
the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Order prints or reprints worthy texts relating to
local Gastronomy, Wine-making and Wine-growing.
The Order’s website: http://www.cavalieri-alba.com/
e-mail: ordine cavalieri@libero.it
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