I have long been intrigued by the complex combination of wine and black caviar. Caviar is a prestigious and expensive product by definition and, of course, requires a great wine, that matches it perfectly.
However, everything is not as simple as it may seem at first glance – focusing on the Grand Cru names will not be the right decision. Black caviar, like expensive wine, has rich, multifaceted flavors that do not always go well together.
Perhaps one of the most memorable master classes at Vinexpo 2020 in Paris, in which I participated, was the so-called battle between the most famous sommeliers in the world on the most suitable wines for black caviar. A lot of valuable information and excellent caviar :). Special thanks to the Sturia house for generously providing two types of caviar!
A little about Sturia
The Sturia house has been around for about 30 years and was the first company in France to breed sturgeons, produce caviar and commercialize it both in France and around the world. Today, Sturia has a unique infrastructure – six sturgeon farms, its own production line, sorting and selection of caviar, as well as caviar maturation facilities.
Depending on the maturation period, Baerii caviar is divided into the following categories: Primeur (1 month of maturation), Vintage (3-8 months) and Origin (more than 8 months). And the longer the caviar matures, the more expressive its taste will be. If Primeur is distinguished by more subtle salty “marine” notes, then Vintage already acquires a shade of iodine and black olives, and Origin – even woody and spicy notes. In addition, the Acipenser Baerii sturgeon caviar range also includes the ultra-fresh Christmas caviar Caviar de Noël, which matures for less than a month, Baerii Prestige with larger eggs (from 3 mm) and Jasmin – caviar with a reduced amount of salt.
The Acipenser Gueldenstaedtii sturgeon caviar also exists in a Christmas version (Osciètre de Noël), the traditional Osciètre with fresh notes of fruit and iodine, Osciètre Prestige with large eggs and Osciètre Grand Cru, a special caviar with a refined and delicate taste of citrus and pistachios.
Sturia presented two of its classic products to the master class participants: Baerii Vintage and Osciètre, which I will discuss in more detail.
Two types of caviar and six wines to go with them
When it comes to pairing wine and food for a special occasion, I usually choose the wine first and then – the menu. Obviously, at this master class it was the other way around: the wines were chosen to go with the central element of the tasting – sturgeon caviar. So first we should introduce the highlight of the program – Vintage Baerii and Oscietra caviar.
Baerii Vintage caviar is the caviar of the Acipenser Baerii, or Siberian sturgeon, the smaller of the two species bred at the Sturia farm. The Siberian sturgeon reaches 120 cm in length and 8 kg in weight. Its caviar is dark brown in color, and the grains are at least 2.5 mm in size. Baerii Vintage caviar has a fresh, milky, slightly salty marine taste, with notes of nuts, black olives, herbs and iodine, and has fairly dense grains.
Oscietra caviar is obtained from sturgeon native to the Caspian Sea – the Acipenser Gueldenstaedtii species, which is larger in size and lighter in color than Acipenser Baerii. For the first caviar harvest, it must reach 10-12 years of age, while the first species can produce caviar a couple of years earlier. Its caviar is also lighter and slightly larger – at least 2.7 mm. The taste of such caviar is more pronounced and long-lasting, and the texture is creamier than that of Baerii.
In fact, when you compare different types of black caviar like this, it becomes clear that it can have a young, refreshing taste, or an aged and ripe one (just like wine 🙂 ), and that different types of caviar should be paired with different wines.
The master class I was lucky enough to attend was something like a competition between the best sommeliers in the world: Raimonds Thompson, 3rd best sommelier ASI 2019, Piotr Pietras, MS, 6th best sommelier ASI 2019 and Marcus del Monego, MW, best sommelier in the world 1998. Each sommelier offered one wine for each type of caviar, and the best combinations were chosen by the participants during the tasting and subsequent voting, and, I must say, the opinions were divided 🙂
Wines for Baerii Vintage Caviar
1) Besserat de Bellefon Triple B. Champagne – organic Champagne of the Besserat de Bellefon house, the base wine of the harvest is an assemblage of 10% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Meunier and 60% Pinot Noir. Dosage is less than 3 g / l, i.e. Brut Nature. The mousse is very delicate, with small bubbles, the aroma is refined, citrus-spicy with notes of brioche, the taste is elegant, with crispy acidity, notes of peach, lemon zest, apple peel, chamomile and autolysis, it is distinguished by complexity, balance and a long aftertaste. The special feature of this champagne is a barely perceptible hint of iodine and saltiness, which favorably emphasize the similar tastes of caviar. In addition, its long-lasting aftertaste reflects and accompanies the aftertaste of caviar (this is one of the defining characteristics when choosing wines for the exceptional taste qualities of black caviar). It seemed to me that the caviar, so to speak, hardened the taste of champagne – a hint of bitterness appeared in it, and the acidity and dryness, which are already the main components of Brut Nature, became more noticeable. Nevertheless, this option was also appreciated.
2) Chenin Blanc Pièces Longues 2013. Fabien Jouves. Vin de France – 100% Chenin from the red wine region of Cahors, organic wine, and the work in the vineyards itself is carried out according to the principles of biodynamic. Aged in large oak barrels foudres for 12 months, the wine is not filtered before bottling, which leaves a small suspension in it, which, of course, does not affect the purity of the aromas: fresh and baked apple, pear, honey, nuts – all these notes are typical for Chenin Blanc in the process of development (this wine was almost 7 years old and tertiary shades have already begun to appear in it). The wine slightly overshadows the taste of caviar if you try them together, but the taste qualities of both create a quite harmonious aftertaste. It should be noted that of the three combinations of Baerii caviar and wine, I preferred this one. And looking ahead, I will say that with the second type of caviar, a creamier and deeper taste, this wine also made a good pair.
3) Scalunero 2019. Torre Mora. Etna Rosato – to be honest, it would not have an idea to serve rosé wine not with a simple shrimp cocktail, but with such a prestigious product as black caviar, but, nevertheless, the sommelier’s suggestion was curious and quite worthy of pairing with caviar. Thanks to its unusual concentration for rosé, body, fairly high acidity and raspberry-floral aroma with a mineral note, this rosé from Nerello Mascalese perfectly set off the salty taste of caviar and had sufficient richness and length of aftertaste for it. An interesting solution for those who love pink wines.
Wines for Oscietra caviar
1) Domaine du Causse d’Arboras 320. Languedoc AOP 2016. Vignobles Jeanjean – Organic white wine, a blend of 45% Vermentino, 35% Roussanne and 25% Marsanne, from organic vineyards growing at an altitude of 320 meters above sea level, hence the name. This location at one of the highest points of Languedoc allows to refresh its hot southern climate and grow quality grapes with sufficient acidity. The soils of these vineyards have both calcareous and volcanic components, which also manifests itself in the mineral notes of the wine. The main taste and aroma characteristics are all kinds of citrus fruits with grapefruit dominance, as well as wet stones and high acidity. Together with caviar, this wine creates a complementary combination: the rich, creamy and oily taste of caviar is refreshed by the bright acidity of the wine, and its salty finish is emphasized by mineral notes. A contrasting, and at the same time – harmonious combination.
2) Weingut Julius. Riesling Morstein. Rheinhessen 2016 – German Riesling, one of the classic combinations of white wine and black caviar. Riesling is generally an amazing variety, which has an amazing ability to accumulate sugar well and at the same time create balanced wines, thanks to its high natural acidity (this Riesling, for example, contained as much as 9.5 g / l of residual sugar, but felt like “almost dry, off-dry”, and not sweet wine). A separate plot of Westhofen, where the grapes for Riesling Morstein grow, has clay, loess and limestone soils, is processed organically and produces wine with a crystal clear, mineral-citrus and slightly salty taste and aroma. Like a Chenin Blanc paired with Baerii caviar, this Riesling adds another dimension of richness to the Oscietra caviar, while still having enough body to withstand the caviar’s buttery texture.
3) Villa Huesgen. Mosel. Riesling Auslese 2017. And the last wine, again a Riesling, but this time from the Mosel region and from the Prädikat Auslese category with noticeable residual sugar (although it feels much less than it actually is). The grapes for this wine are grown on one of the best sites – on one of the steepest slopes facing south, and some of the vines planted there are not grafted and have been growing there for over 100 years. The special soil composition of this site is characterized by a high content of iron and quartzite. All these factors allow to create a powerful, rich wine with a distinct aroma of herbs, flowers, honey and candied fruits, which are combined with a subtle saltiness, high acidity and a pleasant, moderately sweet taste. In combination with caviar, a harmonious, sweet-salty combination is obtained (which can be quite a winning combination, take at least the classics: Sauternes and Roquefort cheese), where, in addition, the tastes of both elements – wine and caviar – are close in intensity. In my opinion, this was the best solution for Oscietra caviar.
Conclusion: what wine would be the best choice for black caviar?
Obviously, it will depend on the caviar itself. The more delicate and fine taste of caviar, which has been maturing for about a month, will be advantageously complemented by champagne without a year, from the Blanc de Blancs category or a young wine from the Chenin or Riesling variety; a more mature version of the Vintage type is better suited to a more mature white wine, with a long aftertaste, high acidity and still noticeable notes of fresh citrus, which will reflect and complement the versatility of the caviar’s taste, as well as bring a fresh citrus touch. What can be said about champagne? Vintage, with a long aging on the sediment, and then in the cellar, after which the autolytic character will acquire a nutty shade, and the bubbles will decrease in size, but will increase in number under the effect of gas pressure in the bottle. Champagne without a year seemed to me not too friendly with the mature version of caviar. Also, do not ignore the sweet and salty combination, especially in the case of the most aged caviar. If this contrast effect is chosen correctly, the result will be impressive.
