The history of the Savini family goes back to the ‘20s.
Giuseppe Savini was a farmer from Balconevisi, a small town on the hills near San Miniato. His passion was to go truffle hunting with his loyal dog.
A common hobby in the Pisan countryside then and now.
Giuseppe Savini was the father of four children, among them the third one was Zelindo.
Zelindo starts early to work as workmen at the Villa Saletta estate, near Palaia.
Because of his determined and sure nature he becomes a point of reference for the Lords and for the farmers. So he obtains a more important role: he has to take care of the reserves of the estate and to lead the Gambacastelli family’s guests through the woods for hunting.
Among the inalienable ingredients of the lavish dinners and lunches in honour of the Gambacastelli’s guests there were wild game, olive oil and wine, and another fruit of the woods was never missing: Truffle!
At that time truffle was not well-known, but those gentlemen from northern Italy, from Lombardy and Piedmont especially seeing the abundance of White truffle on these tables, started to refer to Zelindo for buying truffles he could collect during the week from other truffle hunters.
It could seem a simple hobby but this is actually the beginning of our history…
The turning point was marked when Zelindo took the liberty to buy a gift for himself after a long period of buying and selling truffle. He replaced his old vespa with a BSA 1000, a very long for motorbike in great demand in those days!

But Zelindo’s hard-earned an desired motorbike which he used for moving through the Villa Saletta estate, was not digested by the Lord. So he convened and intimated Zelindo immediatly to sell the vehicle, which the Lord himself couldn’t “afford”. Almost like a “truffle dog” Zelindo sniffs the turning poin and not only he decides not to sell the vehicle but he also decides to leave his work place and to start his new life as full-time truffle hunter.

He buys a grocery with bar in Montanelli, a little village belonging to the municipality of Palaia, close to San Miniato, the richest area of hunters and truffle hunters. It was a nice meeting point for breakfasts at dawn and early snacks. By leading the bar and living next to them all day long, Zelindo knows always better the world of truffle hunters and can retire to the back of the shop at the appropriate time for the buying and selling of truffles, away from curious eyes. The middle son, Luciano (at the time young pastry chef and great cooking enthusiast) with a strong passion for truffle in his DNA takes care of the bar with his wife Carla, almost as a sign of recognition for Savini.