This farm has been in the same family for twelve generations. Podere Poggio a Campoli — known by its wine label name “Campolaia” — sits in the green hills near Mercatale in Val di Pesa. Daniele is the winemaker and truffle hunter. His wife Daniela is the host, the cook, and the one who runs the experience. Their son Edoardo is a composer who helps with the hunts. And Giuseppe — grandfather, licensed member of the Tuscan Truffle Hunters Association — is the professional.
The Truffle Hunt
The hunt lasts five hours. You start with coffee at the farm, then a lesson on truffle varieties and seasons. Then you walk into the woods with three Lagotto Romagnolo dogs — Bia, Billo, and Ciccina. The only sounds are twigs snapping under your feet and the heavy breathing of the dogs running ahead of you.
Back at the farm, you clean the truffles together and sit down to lunch: antipasti, homemade pasta with shaved truffles, Chianti Classico from the estate, and tiramisù.
Truffle Seasons
Different truffle varieties can be found throughout the year:
- Black Summer Truffle (Tuber Aestivum) — June to November
- Black Autumn Truffle (Tuber Uncinatum) — September to December
- White Truffle (Tuber Magnatum Pico) — September to December (the most prized)
- Black Winter Truffle (Tuber Melanosporum) — November to March
- Bianchetto Truffle (Tuber Borchii) — January to March
Campolaia Wines
The estate produces Chianti Classico under the Campolaia label — Annata, Riserva, and Gran Selezione — all from estate-grown grapes. They also make extra virgin olive oil and infused oil dressings including white truffle, basil, lemon, and garlic.
Listen to the podcast
I recorded a podcast episode about my truffle journey at Poggio a Campoli — how I went from hating truffles as a teenager to understanding that they are one of the pillars of Tuscan convivialità. Listen to “My Truffle Journey” →
