Imported Ossetra Caviar

Why Choose D’Artagnan Caviar

Our Ossetra Malossol Caviar is raised on an aquafarm in France, exclusively for D’Artagnan. Aquitaine, meaning “land of water,” is a region of France renowned for agriculture, wine and fishing. Fittingly, state-of-the-art aquaculture has thrived there, and it’s where our farmers produce the finest humanely and sustainably raised caviar on the market.

These caviar experts follow the strictest of animal welfare and environmental protocols, combining technology with painstaking artisanal methods. Huge state-of-the-art tanks hold Siberian sturgeon while they mature, which takes 8 to 10 years. Because of advanced filtering technology, the wastewater actually runs cleaner than the same water at entry.

The sturgeon is an omnivorous fish and depends on eating protein to be healthy and produce eggs. On the farm, the fish get a high-protein diet that mimics what they would eat in the wild: small fish, snails, and crustaceans, some vegetal matter, and grains.

What is Ossetra Malossol Caviar?

Ossetra is the most sought-after caviar in the world and refers to caviar from specific sturgeon varieties including Siberian, Russian, and Beluga, among others.

The term “malossol” is Russian and means “little salt.” Traditionally, before refrigeration, it was difficult to preserve these raw fish eggs and transport them, so plenty of salt was needed. The less salt, the truer the caviar taste; lightly salted caviar was highly prized by the czars and Russian elite.

Our malossol caviar is unpasteurized and preserved only with a minimal amount of salt. No borax or chemical preservatives are used. That exaggerated pop when you bite down on the average caviar comes from added preservatives. Our caviar isn’t quite that dramatic; it has a more natural flavor that will not overwhelm your palate with salt.

The round, plump grains have a lingering and nutty flavor reminiscent of hazelnuts or fresh walnuts. With ultra-silky mouthfeel and a color that ranges from clear grey to golden chestnut to deep brown, this buttery caviar is different and truly unforgettable.

Single Packed for Best Flavor

The process of harvesting the roe has not changed much over the years, because it’s very simple. The roe is removed from the belly of a sturgeon and then sieved delicately by hand; salt is added, and then it is hand-packed into lined caviar tins. Our French caviar goes from the fish to the tin in under 90 minutes at a state-of-the-art facility on the farm.

Our caviar is one of the few on the market that is packaged once, the day it is harvested, and delivered directly to the customer. Most caviar is harvested, pasteurized, chemically treated to lengthen the life of the product and packed in large batches that are shipped to purveyors who repackage the caviar in smaller tins and label it as their own. Each time the caviar is exposed to air and varying temperatures the quality, texture, and flavor are impacted.

The entire process is done on the farm with 100% traceability, and every part of the sturgeon is used, with the firm white meat going to local restaurants, the bones and trim to pet food production, and the skin to a tannery to be made into belts and watchbands.