Connections from all over the world with the Castle of Grinzane Cavour for the World Auction of the Alba White Truffle, the highlight of the International Truffle Fair. The winner of the final lot, with an 830 gram trifola, was a Hong Kong entrepreneur who loves Italy, where she will soon be getting married, for the remarkable sum of 103.000 euros. Three other important specimens of Alba White Truffle, weighing 230, 250 and 400 grams respectively, were awarded to a Danish entrepreneur and two Italian entrepreneurs. The auction which was held in connection with Hong Kong, Moscow, Singapore and Dubai was for charity purposes
The big event – organized by the Piedmontese Cavour Regional Enoteca with the support of the Piedmont Region, Enit – the Italian National Tourism Agency, the Langhe Monferrato Roero Tourism Authority, the International Alba White Truffle Fair, the National Study Center Truffle and the Order of the Knights of the Truffle and the Wines of Alba – saw the considerable amount of 457.300 euros raised. In combination with the truffles, large formats of the wines of the producers belonging to the Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe and Dogliani were also beaten.
Worthy of note, as part of the initiative proposed by the CRC Donare Foundation, represented by the vice president of the CRC Foundation Ezio Raviola, was the assignment of the last lot of the "Barolo en Primeur" auction, the fifteen Nebbiolo barrique, from which in 2024 about 300 bottles of fine Barolo will be obtained: a Hong Kong entrepreneur together with his wife will take home the prestigious oak barrel, for the sum of 60.000 euros, with whom they wait until 2024 to personalize the back labels.
To embellish the proposed lots, also three maxi Panettoni "made in Piedmont", two of 10 kg and one of 20 kg, signed by Albertengo, historic company of Torre San Giorgio (CN), which produces one and a half million leavened products every year from recurrence.
The XXII edition of the auction totaled a total of 457.300 euros, thus bringing the total collection, from 1999 to today, to 5.739.300 euros. To benefit from this very important figure, the result of the generosity of many philanthropists, solidarity projects in Italy and around the world.
In particular, what was collected during the XXII World Auction of the Alba White Truffle will be donated, in Italy, to the Alba-Bra Onlus Hospital Foundation to finance the pictorial humanization project of the pediatric ward of the Michele and Pietro Ferrero Hospital in Verduno, contributing to carry out an initiative aimed at adapting spaces to the needs of young patients, a fundamental factor in stimulating the use of imagination in dealing with the impact and stay in hospital. As for the international offices, in Hong Kong the proceeds will instead benefit the Mother's Choice Institute, a charity that helps children without families, with the aim of giving hope and new life perspectives through the funds raised. Moscow will instead support the Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, an avant-garde research center specialized in hematological, oncological and immunological diseases of childhood and in molecular diagnostics. Proceeds from the Asian city-state of Singapore will ultimately go to Dreams Asia, an education foundation that aims to give children equal opportunities to dream by providing after-school pathways and holistic development support.
The Auction will be conducted in Grinzane Cavour by the host Enzo Iacchetti, the television presenter Caterina Balivo and the gastronomic journalist Paolo Vizzari, in the presence of the president of the Piedmontese Regional Enoteca Cavour Roberto Bodrito, the vice president of the Piedmont Region Fabio Carosso and by the president of the Consortium for the protection of Barolo, Barbaresco, Alba, Langhe and Dogliani Matteo Ascheri. Exceptional guests, Alessandro Campagna, Olympic gold medalist and multiple world champion with the Settebello, currently coach of the Italian water polo team, Fulvio Marino, miller and baking expert, well-known face on TV, star of the Rai1 show hosted by Antonella Clerici "It's always noon" and Martina Caironi, blue Paralympic athlete, fresh winner of 2 silver medals at the Tokyo Games, after the gold medals in London and Rio, on the podium in the historic all-blue "triptych" of the 100m dash in Tokyo , with Ambra Sabatini and Monica Contrafatto, which thrilled the whole world. Surprisingly, the award-winning Hollywood actor Stanley Tucci was also present in the Langhe for the recording of the CNN documentary “Stanley Tucci: searching for Italy”.
In Hong Kong, Asta was able to count on the consolidated friendship with the three-Michelin-star chef Umberto Bombana, who hosted in his famous restaurant “8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana”, a passionate and involved audience, in collaboration with Maria Lunch and the his Areté Food&Wine.
In Moscow it was again the Bosco Cafe with chef Davide Corso at the Magazzini Gum, overlooking Red Square, to welcome guests for the event.
In Singapore, the Auction was held like last year in the National Gallery at the Art Restaurant of starred chef Beppe De Vito, one of the most renowned of excellent food and wine with its five restaurants in the Asian metropolis
Finally, in Dubai, on the occasion of Expo2020, the Armani/Restaurant at the Armani/Hotel Dubai, located inside the iconic Burj Khalifa skyscraper, was the scene of the event, in the company of Chef Giovanni Papi
Awarded with a special diploma by the president of the Piedmontese Regional Enoteca Cavour Roberto Bodrito, by the president of the International Alba White Truffle Fair Liliana Allena and by the Grand Master of the Order of Knights of the Truffle and Alba Bianca Vetrino, he entered among the ambassadors of the White Truffle of Alba Riccardo Monco, Chef of the Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence, standard bearer in the world of Italian cuisine of excellence.
