Danish business newspaper "BØRSEN" (The Bourse)
on December 23, 2005 - By Ole Troelsø

Genuine kaviar with suprises

Which genuine kaviar tastes best?

The one from a wild Beluga, the one from a bred white Sturgeon or one of
the seven others, which were part of the paper's blind test.

Genuine kaviar may be many things. Rule No. 1 - the altogether invariable is that the eggs must come from a fish of the Sturgeon family. Genuine Sturgeon kaviar may, as the only one in marketing purposes be called "caviare" according to the Danish language advisory committee referring  to an EU-rule. The rule  further says that no other kind of fish eggs may be called "caviar", but willingly kaviar.

There are many types of sturgeon with Beluga being the most sought after, just as Sevruga and Oscietre are famous. In all there are 24 varieties of the old fish family, which to-day look exactly as it did many millions of years ago. That this prehistoric fish, very threatened by extinction, is still hunted intensely in Russia, is a catastrophe, which should make consumers consider, whether they will support the process of extinction or find other sources., a.o.Iranian caviar or caviar from farmed Sturgeon.

In later years farming has increased, and caviar from these fish is as genuine as that from wild Sturgeon.. However, as Sturgeon farms lie by rivers, the farmed fish often miss the fresh sea character, which wild Sturgeon caught
at sea delivers. On the other hand there is so much fiddling and swindle in
the trade of kaviar, in particular the Russian that one can quite easily meet kaviar from wild Sturgeon tasting quite a lot more acceptable than kaviar from bred fish.

Earlier on in these pages we have focused sharply on kaviar and the problems of over-fishing. The first time we described the theme was in 1997 and 2002, when Caviar House sat on the Danish market. But last year this trader discreetly disappeared from the country, and Caviar House Airline Services ApS in Århusgade (Cph.) was dissolved by court. Since then Rossini Caviar has increased its market share markedly, and the blind test here is based in large past on Rossini products, both wild and farmed, as well as on competing products.

The tasting was blind, with numbered kaviar spoons, so the judges might
give points of merit to a given number without knowing, what it was.

The panel consisted of several experts on kaviar: the chefs Jacob de Neer- gaard from Søllerød Kro and Rasmus Grønbech from restaurant Premisse. Both have exhaustive knowledge of and year long experience with kaviar, which they often use in their dishes.

Also participating was a person with extensive experience as a consumer, namely the collector of kaviar Jesper Boas Smith, as well as yours truly.

The Quality has increased
Our tastings in 1997 and 2002 consisted of Sevruga as well as Oscietre, but not Beluga. In 1997 the winner was Iranian Sevruga, while in 2002 the
winner was an Iranian Oscietre, closely followed by a farmed Baeeri from Rossini. Then followed another Oscietre and a Sevruga.

During the past three years the level of quality of farmed kaviar has risen, which was very clear from this testing. There was a broad impression, namely, that numbers six to nine were farmed and a belief that that the first six were wild kaviar.

However, it would turn out that two of the presumed farmed types were in fact Iranian kaviar from wild Sturgeon. When the testing was completed and points collected, No. 1 stood strongest, with No. 4 just behind.

It was a considerable surprise, when No. 1 in the blind test turned out to be
a farmed Sturgeon from Italy, while it was surprising that No. 4 of the blind test was a Beluga, since this distinguished and unbelievably delicate kaviar naturally belongs at the top.

Prior to the unveiling the judges were asked to guess the identity of the samples, and the only one who were right about right in using Beluga was
the kaviar collector Jesper Boas Smith, while several others judged the wild goods to be farmed and vice versa.

Jacob de Neergaard assessed the numbers six to nine as scandalously bad and Rasmus Grønbech philisophised some about the consequences it would have for a first-time taster to be confronted with such rubbish.

After the unveiling the kaviar was re-tasted "against" a number of champagnes, and in the course of this process there started to

become a feeling in favour of the Beluga, which Rasmus Grønbech praised
for having a fresh whiff of the sea, which the Calvius didn't have; but then
the points had been given, as they are shown on the chart here on these pages.

Blind Test of Kaviar (chart)                                                    

Name	Price (Dkr.)	Points
Caviar Calvisus (Ital.) from Rossini Caviar	395	10,13
Beluga (Kazakstan) from Rossini Caviar	1.100	9,75
Baerii Caviar (France) from Rossini Caviar	375	9,13
Oscietra (Kazakstan) from Rossini Caviar	845	9,13
Sevruga (Kazakstan) from Rossini Caviar	725	7,67
Sevruga (Iran) from Torben's Fish	960	7,67
Caviar Creator "Malossol" (Germany)	425	4,67
Oscietra (Iran) from Torben's Fish	1.030	3,00
American Caviar "Spätel steur"	375	1,67

                           

Triumph for Calvisus
As will be seen from the chart, one should certainly not disdain farmed
kaviar. Calvisus caviar comes from a farmed white Sturgeon (Acipenser Transmontanus), just as the shared third placing is farmed kaviar. Second placed Beluga costs nearly three times as much as the winner, a sum of money, which one must conclude is really badly spent. The rule of thump that Iranian is the finest quality is not upheld in this tasting, where an Iranian Sevruga has been banished to seventh place. On the other hand the Kazakhstan is markedly impressive, and this particular state is presently famed in the trade for maintaining high quality and willingness to work for control of the fishing.

The best kaviarchampagne 
After the blind test we experimented with different tyoes of champagne and found that it was the blanc-de-blanc champagnes, which generally met the task best. Blanc de blanc means that the champagne is made from 100% Chardonnay, and this type has usually a very fine sorrel (acid), which does well to the fattiness of the caviar. As for bubbles, one should choose a champagne without too much fiss as bubbles may disturbe the fine
experience of taste. Said qualities were mostly prevalent in Champagne Launois Oiel de Perdrix (Dkr. 175 at L'Esprit du Vin) 70201060) This modest
of price champagne with its fine and airy way solved the purpose better than Krug, although this was Rasmus Grønbech´s choice in one case.

"Launois  is the best allround-champagne for these different types of kaviar, but in the case of Belluga, then my preference is Krug, as it has a heaviness,  which carries the Beluga´s great abundance."