What to Expect From This Year’s Napa Truffle Festival

Black truffles are a culinary delicacy

Whether you love ‘em, hate ‘em, or never had ‘em, truffles are a delicacy with an influence that reaches beyond taste. They’re elusive, expensive, and exotic. But recently, this underground mushroom has amassed a phenomenal following that includes chefs, gourmands, and the epicurious. If you’ve been looking for a place to learn more about this strange-looking tuber, you’ve come to the right spot. This year’s Napa Truffle Festival is your chance to embrace the truffle like never before. While you’re here, don’t forget to request access to our complimentary Vacation Guide. Our guide is full of the area’s best restaurants,wineries, attractions, and events, which makes it the perfect tool for building your dream getaway!

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What Are the Top Attractions During the Napa Truffle Festival

The American Truffle Company is the operating hand behind the Napa Truffle Festival. Every year, since 2010, the company has organized and executed the biggest truffle festival in the country! From its humble beginnings, the festival has only continued to grow in both size and influence. This year, the Napa Truffle Festival celebrates another anniversary, delivering its most impressive lineup of events to date. Continue reading below to see what the festival’s latest edition has in store! 

This lineup features demonstrations, tasting menus, and seminars from some of the world’s best chefs, truffle experts, and scientists. Past festival events have included:

  • Scientific Truffle Grower Seminars
  • Truffle Orchard Tours
  • Dog Training Exercises
  • Winery Truffle Lunch at Shadybrook Estate
  • Truffles and Wine Dinner at La Toque 
  • Truffle Digging Guides
  • Wine and Cooking Lessons at Hall Wines

View the full schedule of this year’s events at the Napa Truffle Festival website before your trip! 

Festival Happenings Close to Churchill Manor

Some of the Napa Truffle Festival events are even within walking distance of Churchill Manor Bed and Breakfast! 

For instance, the Napa Truffle Festival Marketplace at Oxbow Public Market coincides with the festival nearly every year. This is your chance to shop for some of the truffles that you’ve seen used during the festival. You’ll also have a chance to participate in cooking demos, enjoy samples (like truffle and goat cheese enchiladas), taste wine, meet the truffle dogs, and much more! 

Another fantastic event that is within walking distance of Churchill Manor is “All about Truffles at the CIA Copia.” This two-hour program gives visitors a hands-on truffle experience. You’ll get to smell, touch, and taste various species of truffles and truffle-related products. The best part about the truffle festival is that you get to leave Napa Valley with a better understanding of not only what truffles are, but how they can be used. Learn from the experts, and become a master in no time!  

Event and Ticket Info for the Napa Truffle Festival

The festival takes place every January, and tickets are released a few months before in the fall of the previous year. If you don’t want to miss out on a winter tradition that features the brilliance of America’s top chefs and the elegance of Napa Valley cuisine, make sure you buy your tickets as soon as possible! Enjoy the area’s delicious wine, and take part in one of the area’s best annual events! Events sell out quick. So, check for tickets today! 

Truffle Fun Facts

If you’re new to truffles, never fear. Here are a few fun facts.

  • Truffles are mushrooms that grow underground on the roots of specific types of trees. (Primarily oak, but also beech, hazelnut, chestnut, birch, and poplar.)
  • Two of the most popular truffles are the Black Winter Périgord and the Summer (or Burgundy) truffle. The Napa Truffle Festival mainly features the Black Winter Périgord truffle.
  • The Périgord truffle is named after a region in southwestern France. This variety is known for its subtle aroma and an earthy flavor reminiscent of rich chocolate.
  • While truffles can be cultivated, they require very specific growing conditions. The American Truffle Company sells partnerships that provide you with tree seedlings that have been inoculated with either the Black Winter truffle or the Black Summer truffle. They also provide all the information you’ll need to be a successful truffle cultivator.
  • Mostly, truffles are found in the wild. People used to use pigs to hunt for the wild mushroom. More recently, truffle hunters have swapped their pigs for dogs, who enjoy finding the mushrooms but don’t enjoy eating them as much as their predecessors.
  • The price you’ll pay for black truffles (or a dish including them) is in direct relation to the time it takes to find and harvest them.

Things to Do After the Festival

Whether it’s your first trip to Napa Valley or your 10th, you’ll always be captivated by the wine country’s lush beauty. Plus, there are so many things to do and see, including visiting wineries, parks, art galleries, boutiques, and more!

Start Planning Your Trip With Churchill Manor! 

Stags Leap Room InteriorNow that you’ve decided that you have to go to this year’s Napa Truffle Festival, it’s time for the next step: finding a place to stay! Churchill Manor is a historic bed and breakfast that features well-appointed accommodations and convenient access to all of the best things to do in the area! Our gorgeous bed and breakfast is only one block from downtown Napa, which means getting to and from the Napa Truffle Festival is always a breeze. 

Just like the truffle, our guest rooms are for travelers with refined sensibilities. Stags Leap, for instance, features elegant decor, stunning second-story views, and a comfortable king-size bed. Elevate your next Napa Valley getaway by planning your stay with us! 

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