THE FINAL LOT OF THE CHARITY EVENT PROMOTED BY THE PIEDMONT REGIONAL ENOTECA CAVOUR FLIES TO HONG KONG, FOR 130,000 EUROS

As expected – given the high rate of attendance among personalities from the world of cinema and television – on the afternoon of Sunday 12 November it was staged from the Castle of Grinzane Cavour, a specific UNESCO site, the heart of the wine-growing landscapes of Langhe, Roero and Monferrato, the XXIV edition of the World Alba® White Truffle Auction, the great charity event organized by the Piedmontese Regional Enoteca Cavour.

Competing for the most prized lots of the Alba White Truffle – put up for auction in combination with the large formats of Barolo DOCG, Barbaresco DOCG and the wines of the producers belonging to the Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe and Dogliani Protection Consortium, as well as the maxi Panettones “made in Piedmont” signed by the historic company of Albertengo special occasion leavened products -, philanthropists in connection with the manor that belonged to Count Camillo from Hong Kong, Singapore and Vienna, now consolidated partners of the Auction, to which this year has been added the prestigious debut in Frankfurt.

Thus, this year, the great appointment with solidarity – organized by the Enoteca Regionale Piemontese Cavour, thanks to the precious support of the Piedmont Region, of Enit – the Italian National Tourism Agency, of the Langhe Monferrato Roero Tourism Board, of the International Fair of the Alba White Truffle, the National Truffle Studies Center and the Order of the Knights of the Truffle and Wines of Alba – has reached the remarkable sum of 482,760 euros raised, which will be allocated to charitable initiatives all over the world.

THE FIGURES OF SOLIDARITY
Protagonist of the day, the final lot composed of two twin trifole weighing 1,004 grams – presented by the president of the Union of Trifulau Piedmontese Associations, Mario Aprile, in the company of his dog Lady -, flown to Hong Kong for the remarkable sum of 1.1 million Hong Kong dollars, corresponding to 130,000 euros: a generous local entrepreneur won it, in connection with the famous Mandarin restaurant. In the dining room in Grinzane the gavel fell for another three splendid specimens of Alba White Truffle, weighing 250, 315 and 480 grams respectively, which went to Lucio Sindaco, creator of the Michelasso restaurant in Naples and regional vice-president of Confcommercio Campania, to the entrepreneur Mariano Costamagna from Cherasco and the Varese entrepreneur Guido Borghi.

Furthermore, within the framework of the initiative proposed by the CRC Donare Foundation, represented by the president of the CRC Foundation Ezio Raviola, the assignment of the last lot of the “Barolo en Primeur” auction, the number twelve Nebbiolo barrique, from which in 2026 will yield around 300 bottles of fine Barolo DOCG, sold in the showroom in Hong Kong for the sum of 66,000 euros, bringing the total collected to 877,000 euros.

SOLIDARITY
From 1999 to today, the total collection has thus exceeded the ceiling of 6.8 million euros (6,826,660, to be precise), destined for solidarity projects in Italy and around the world. In Italy, beneficiaries of the generosity of philanthropists this year will be the Alba-Bra Onlus Hospital Foundation, the Vialli and Mauro Foundation for Research and Sport Onlus, the Ukrainian population through the Razom committee and the Every Child Is My project Child Onlus. Looking abroad, in Hong Kong the proceeds will instead benefit the Mother’s Choice Institute, while Singapore has chosen the Singapore Children’s Society foundation, a charity that takes care of children and young people in difficulty in the Asian peninsula; on the charity front, the project chosen in Vienna is Glückskind, an initiative – promoted by the Sinnbildungsstiftung, a charity active in support of education – which aims to enhance the qualities of pupils and their self-esteem throughout the entire school system, while in Frankfurt the spotlight will be on the German Youth Cup, a competition between young athletes from the regional federations of the German Association for Paralympic Sports.

CHARACTERS
Leading the Auction in the hall in Grinzane Cavour – embellished, thanks to the collaboration with Alba Music Festival, by some pieces by Antonio Vivaldi performed by the Elisa Scudeller quartet solo violin and the Soloists of the Classical Orchestra of Alessandria – renewing a successful tradition, the television presenter Caterina Balivo and the journalist and gastronomic curator Paolo Vizzari, supported by the incursions of the comedian and television presenter Enzo Iacchetti.

Present in the room, in addition to the president of the Enoteca Regionale Piemontese Cavour Roberto Bodrito, the vice president of the Piedmont Region Fabio Carosso and the mayor of the City of Alba Carlo Bo, guests of great prestige, starting with the actress Anna Foglietta. Then the model and actress Vittoria Belvedere, the actor and director Andrea Bosca and the American colleague Daniel McVicar, historical face of the soap opera Beautiful, together with many other guests such as the entrepreneur Tomaso Trussardi, also important figures linked to the world of sport and solidarity such as Clara Mondonico, daughter of the unforgettable Emiliano, coach of Turin, Atalanta and Fiorentina, and Andrea Tacconi, son of Stefano, goalkeeper for Juventus and the national team. Justified absent, as he was recently called up to the national team, was Alessandro Buongiorno, Granata captain, who would have liked to be present to honor the coach who wrote one of the most important pages of the Torino Football Club.

Among the surprises of the day, the take of Gabriele Fabbro’s film, Trifole, with the South African actress Ydalie Turk – protagonist together with Umberto Orsini and Margherita Buy – among the Damigelle dei Borghi, accompanying the Bela Trifolera dei Borghi, Valentina Nastasi.

PLACES CONNECTED
In Hong Kong the Auction was hosted at the famous Mandarin restaurant thanks to the Piedmontese entrepreneur Matteo Morello, founder of the Castellana restaurant. Here an unforgettable culinary experience was offered thanks to the team of four chefs composed of Romeo Morelli (Castellana), Fabiano Palombini (Perla), Robin Zavou and Matthew Reuther (The Mandarin Oriental) – in the presence of the president of the Langhe Monferrato Tourism Board Roero, Mariano Rabino, the president of the Consortium for the Protection of Barolo, Barbaresco, Alba, Langhe and Dogliani Matteo Ascheri, and the Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong, Carmelo Ficarra – in the presence of a passionate and participatory audience, in collaboration with Maria Lunch and its Areté Food and Wine.

In Singapore, connected for the sixth consecutive year, the Auction took place in the National Gallery at the Art Restaurant led by the starred Chef Daniele Sperindio, in connection with the mayor of the Municipality of Grinzane Cavour, Gianfranco Garau, and the President of the Region Piedmont, Alberto Cirio, in the presence of the Italian Ambassador to Singapore Dante Brandi.

From Austria, for the second time, in the presence of the Italian Ambassador to Vienna, Stefano Beltrame, connecting from chef Denis Koenig’s Le Salzgries Paris restaurant, which hosted chef Luciano Tona, ambassador of Alba, in his kitchen – UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy, was the Tourism Councilor of the City of Alba, Emanuele Bolla, together with the Master of the Viennese delegation of the Order of the Knights of the Truffle and Wines of Alba, Sergio Nodone.

New entry of this edition is the city of Frankfurt, in Germany, in the presence of the Consul General in Frankfurt, Massimo Darchini, of the director of the National Center for Truffle Studies, Mauro Carbone, and of the municipal councilor of the City of Alba, Mario Fugaro: master of home, Chef Leo Caporale, at the helm of the Brighella restaurant.

Finally, a historic debut has arrived for Africa, with Kenya: here the journalist Marcello Pasquero opened a window on the North Kinangpop hospital, describing the work of the volunteers and the urologist from Alba Bruno Frea, who work in the only hospital facility in the area offering an essential service for the local population of around 350,000 inhabitants: objective, the construction of three new operating theatres.

THE STATEMENTS
Roberto Bodrito, president of the Enoteca Regionale Piemontese Cavour: “This year too, the successful tradition of the World Alba White Truffle Auction is renewed, confirming itself as an event of great interest, capable of combining the promotion of the Langhe area and Roero to solidarity, counting on a highly prestigious audience, which contributes to the final result. Year after year, together with the mayors of the City of Alba, Carlo Bo, and of the Municipality of Grinzane Cavour, Gianfranco Garau, we are happy to support new beneficial projects, maintaining our traditions, but with an eye always turned to the future”.

Matteo Ascheri, president of the Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe and Dogliani Protection Consortium: “Truffle and wine are a perfect combination: a product of the land and one that is the fruit of man’s work, complementary in the role of standard bearers for the promotion of the territory, enhancing the traditional cuisine of Piedmont. Barolo and Barbaresco, together with Tuber magnatum Pico, enjoy great fame in Hong Kong, where we were welcomed with enthusiasm by a qualified audience who every year gives enormous satisfaction to this charity event”.

Fabio Carosso, vice-president of the Piedmont Region: “We are happy and proud to be part of this event, which represents one of the most awaited moments of autumn in Piedmont, through which we consolidate international ties with those who are in love with our land and its our Unesco hills. My hope is that the whole world looks with growing interest at initiatives like this, thanks to which solidarity can contribute to bringing smiles back to the people who live great difficulties, as current events unfortunately remind us every day.”