News Chemistry

For truffle aroma, it’s not all about location

Genes, not environment, play a key role in the prized fungus' scent

By Rachel Ehrenberg

- More than 2 years ago

Mon Dieu! A truffle’s delectable aroma may be as much about genetics as it is about geography.

The aromatic signature of the Burgundy truffle is best explained by genetics, not the local environment. Richard Splivallo

For years a truffle’s flavor has been mostly attributed to environmental factors, akin to how terroir — the soil, climate and geology of a region — bestows qualities to wine.