XXIII Alba White Truffle World Auction^®, Record-breaking 184,000 euro truffle flies to Hong Kong

NEW RECORD ALSO FOR TOTAL FUNDRAISING WITH OVER 600,000 EUROS DONATED DURING THE CHARITY EVENT PROMOTED BY ENOTECA REGIONALE PIEMONTESE CAVOUR

On the afternoon of Sunday, 13th November, introduced by the notes of the Alter Echo string quartet, in collaboration with Alba Music Festival, the XXIII edition of the Alba White Truffle World Auction®, the great charity event organized by Enoteca Regionale Piemontese Cavour was hosted in the Castle of Grinzane Cavour.
Bidding for the most valuable lots of Alba White Truffle – which are put up for auction along with large formats of Barolo DOCG, Barbaresco DOCG and the wines of the producers of the Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani, and also with some giant Panettoni cakes “made in Piedmont” signed by Albertengo, the historic company producing festive pastries -, philanthropists will be joining live with the castle that once belonged to Count Camillo from Hong Kong and Singapore, now consolidated partners of the Auction, and this  year, there are three new prestigious venues joining live from Vienna, Seoul and Doha.
Therefore, this year, the great charity event – organized by the Enoteca Regionale Piemontese Cavour, thanks to the precious support of Regione Piemonte, Enit-Italian National Tourism Agency, Ente Turismo Langhe Monferrato Roero, the International Alba White Truffle Fair, the Centro Nazionale Studi Tartufo and the Ordine dei Cavalieri del Tartufo e dei Vini di Alba – reached the record figure of 604,600 euros raised, all of which will be donated to charity projects around the world.

FIGURES AND RECORD

The star of the day was the final lot, consisting of a 700-gram trifola to which was added, surprisingly, a second 250-gram specimen extracted in the morning – was presented by Mario Aprile, president of the Unione delle Associazioni Trifulau Piemontesi – and it flew to Hong Kong for the record-breaking sum of 1.5 million Hong Kong dollars, equal to 184,000 euros: the lot was won by a generous local businessman, in connection with the restaurant 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana. Always in the all at Grinzane Castle, the gavel fell for three other splendid specimens of Alba White Truffle, weighing 150, 255 and 330 grams respectively, which were won by Mariano Costamagna, an entrepreneur from Cherasco, by an anonymous benefactor from London who was connected with a correspondent in the hall at Grinzane, and by Guido Borghi, an entrepreneur from Varese.
Also noteworthy, as part of the event promoted by the Fondazione CRC Donare, represented by Ezio Raviola, president of the CRC Foundation, was the bid for the last lot of the “Barolo en Primeur” Auction, nebbiolo barrique number fifteen, from which about 300 bottles of fine Barolo DOCG will be made in 2025, which was won in the Hong Kong hall for the sum of 64,000 euros.

CHARITY

Since 1999 until today over six million euros were raised (6.343.900, to be more precise), destined to charity projects in Italy and worldwide. This year, the Italian charities that will benefit from the generosity of philanthropists are the Fondazione Ospedale Alba-Bra Onlus, the Fondazione Vialli e Mauro per la Ricerca e lo Sport Onlus and the project Every Child Is My Child Onlus. Whereas abroad, in Hong Kong the funds raised will go to the the Mother’s Choice Institute, while Singapore has chosen the Dreams Asia foundation; on the charity front, the project chosen in Vienna is LehreUp, an initiative promoted by Sinnbildungsstiftung, while Seoul will support theWorld Vision NGO.

THE CELEBRITIES

In keeping with a successful tradition, the Auction held in Grinzane Cavour will be hosted by TV presenter Caterina Balivo and by journalist and gastronomic curator Paolo Vizzari, alongside the comedian and TV host Enzo Iacchetti.
Attending the event, along with Roberto Bodrito, president of the Enoteca Regionale Piemontese Cavour, Fabio Carosso, vice-president of the Piedmont Region, Carlo Bo, mayor of the Municipality of Alba, and Matteo Ascheri, president of the Consorzio di Tutela Barolo, Barbaresco, Alba, Langhe and Dogliani, were some prestigious guests, starting with Alberto Barbera, director of the Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica organised by the Venice Biennale, appointed Knight of the Truffle and Wines of Alba.
Then, there was the talented actor and director Andrea Bosca, who – after starring in the Netflix movie Toscana, shot in the Chianti region, and having played the role of an established archistar in the TV series Màkari – has been the protagonist of Romanzo Radicale, the RAI docufiction on the politician and activist Marco Pannella, directed by Mimmo Calopresti, recently broadcasted by Rai3.
Furthermore, there is the miller Fulvio Marino, who has become the “baker of Italian TV”, featuring every day alongside Antonella Clerici on the screens of Rai Uno with the show “È sempre mezzogiorno” (It’s always noon), and who is author of several publications on bread, pizza and leavened products.      Alongside many other guests, there will also be prominent personalities tied to the world of sport and solidarity, such as Gianluca Vialli and Massimo Mauro, who were recently in the capital of the Langhe to launch Alba dei Campioni, the international football tournament organised by the Fondazione Vialli e Mauro per la Ricerca e lo Sport Onlus.

WORLDWIDE CONNECTIONS

In Hong Kong, the Auction was able to rely on the well-established friendship with Michelin Three-Star Chef Umberto Bombana who, in the presence of Carmelo Ficarra, Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong, hosted a passionate and committed audience in his celebrated 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana restaurant, in collaboration with Maria Pranzo and her Areté Food and Wine.
In Singapore, the Auction was held in the National Gallery at the Art Restaurant led by Michelin-starred Chef Daniele Sperindio, with a live streaming with Gianfranco Garau, mayor of the Municipality of Grinzane Cavour, and Alberto Cirio, president of the Piedmont Region, in the presence of Mario Andrea Vattani, Italian Ambassador in Singapore.
From Austria, for the first time, in the presence of Stefano Beltrame, Italian Ambassador in Vienna, joining live from Chef Denis Koenig‘s Le Salzgries Paris restaurant, which hosted in its kitchen Alessandro Mecca, the next Grinzane Castle Chef, Alessandro Mecca, was Emanuele Bolla, Tourism Councillor of the City of Alba, together with Sergio Nodone, Grand Master of the Vienna delegation of the Order of the Knights of the Truffle and Wines of Alba, and Andrea Colonnelli, Director General of ENIT Vienna.
It was also a significant debut for South Korea, in the presence of Federico Failla, the Italian Ambassador in Seoul, thanks to the love for Italy of Chef “Marco” Seungchan Lee, at the helm of the Italian restaurant Atrio at the Conrad Hotel, along with Paolo Alberto Volpe, Cavaliere del Tartufo e dei Vini di Alba.
The third new feature of this edition, in the presence of Paolo Toschi, Italian Ambassador in Doha, along with Vincenzo Donatiello, Restaurant General Manager, and  Antonino D’Alessio, Specialty Head Chef, was the live streaming from the restaurant Alba by Enrico Crippa, that will open soon in Doha, Qatar, inside the iconic Katara Towers, where the three-starred Chef Enrico Crippa – who was recently awarded a Michelin Green Star, and was attending the event Grinzane together with Roberta Ceretto – will bring direclty from Alba his vision of original, elegant and colorful cuisine, strongly respectful of local traditions, with the aim represent all the flavors of Italy.

THE ALBA WHITE TRUFFLE AMBASSADOR

Gabriele Boffa, Chef of Locanda del Sant’Uffizio in Cioccaro di Penango, worldwide standard bearer of Italian cuisine of excellence, who has recently been awarded his Second Michelin Star, has joined the ranks of Alba White Truffle ambassadors. He was awarded a special diploma by Roberto Bodrito, president of the Enoteca Regionale Piemontese Cavour, by Liliana Allena, president of the Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba, by Tomaso Zanoletti, Grand Master of the Ordine dei Cavalieri del Tartufo e dei Vini di Alba Tomaso Zanoletti, president of the ATL Langhe Monferrato Roero, Mariano Rabino, and by Elena Grimaldi.
“Gabriele Boffa is a young chef from Alba who has built his career as artists did in the Renaissance workshop, drawing on the genius of the masters. A former pupil of, among others, Yannick Alléno and Enrico Crippa, he has created his own ” starred” path – awarded by the Michelin Guide the first time in 2018 and the second a few days ago – making the Locanda del Sant’Uffizio Enrico Bartolini in Penango a sacred place of culinary art. A predestinate chef whose cuisine is based on biodiversity and whose palette enhances the flavors and colors of the unique products of our land, among which the Alba White Truffle stands out, of course,” read the citation that gave the award.

STATEMENTS

Roberto Bodrito, President of the Enoteca Regionale Piemontese Cavour: “The Alba White Truffle World Auction confirms itself as an exceptionally long-lived and interesting event, crucial for the promotion of the local area. Through the prestigious international connections, the excellence that distinguishes the uniqueness of Alba, the Langhe and the Roero is showcased and important solidarity actions are encouraged. Today we celebrate a new, great charity event that crosses borders, in times when – elsewhere – borders are being violated. In this edition, more than ever, together with the mayors of the City of Alba, Carlo Bo, and the Municipality of Grinzane Cavour, Gianfranco Garau, we want to convey a message of peace and brotherhood, and the vehicles for doing so are once again our excellent food and wine products, led by our wonderful Alba White Truffle, Barolo and Barbaresco”.

Matteo Ascheri, President of the Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani: “Barolo, Barbaresco and Truffle are the perfect trio that represents our territory in the world: three excellences that have deep roots in the Langhe and act as a driving force for our whole tourist and enotouristic system. “This is the reason why we continue to support this initiative and it is why our producers offer their prestigious bottles to be paired with the Alba White Truffle lots. The enhancement and promotion of our area also passes through these initiatives with an international scope: the Truffle Auction and the ‘Barolo en primeur’ auction, where the values of solidarity merge with territorial promotion, thanks also to the contribution made by the municipal lots donated by our producers”.

Fabio Carosso, vice-President of Regione Piemonte: “The Truffle Auction represents one of the most eagerly awaited autumn events in Piedmont. It has always been an opportunity to consolidate international ties with those who love our land and our Unesco hills. The Truffle is a splendid ambassador of our Piedmont region and it is one of the most important Made in Italy products, so it deserves some special attention, and here it is granted thanks to some worldwide connections.We have so many people who, thanks to their charity contributions, will be able to help those in real need while enjoying the inebriating scents of the Truffle.