Caviar, the highly prized roe (eggs) of the Sturgeon has been synonymous with luxury and wealth for thousands of years.
The Sturgeon species is one of the oldest living fish on earth and dates from pre-historic times, and is considered to have survived for over 250 million years, a true survivor.
Ancient Egyptians, Phoenicians and Greeks caught sturgeon and removed their eggs, with the portrayal of fishermen in reliefs at the Necropolis near the Sakkara Pyramid as far back as 2400BC providing early evidence of harvest of this ancient fish.
Lavish Greek banquets would end with a trumpet fanfare announcing the arrival of platters of Caviar garnished with flowers. The Persians considered caviar to be a medicine for a multitude of illnesses, giving them stamina and power and the first written record of the word Caviar or "khavyar " was found in the writings of Ghengis Khan's grandson Batu Khan.
The English term "Caviar" may come from the Turkish word " khavyar " or from the Persian word "chav-jar " which translates loosely as " cake of power " or " piece of power ". In medieval times King Richard II proclaimed the sturgeon a " royal fish " claiming all rights to sturgeon caught in England. In China, Denmark and France caviar was claimed by royal command with special royal grants having to be obtained and even to fish in Sturgeon Rivers in Russia and Hungary. The Russia Czar Nicholas II and his nobility enjoyed the Sterlet Sturgeon's small golden eggs so much it became all but extinct receiving 11 tons yearly.
The result of this consumption has meant that of the twenty- four species of wild sturgeon world wide today, 90% of caviar comes from only three types: The Beluga, the Oscietra and the Sevruga.
The natural habit of these three sturgeon species is the Caspian Sea with the diminishing and highly regulated supply collected and exported by Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran. This export is very strictly controlled and regulated by CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
There has been signification investment and improvement over the last ten years of farmed caviar which has historically been notoriously difficult, sturgeon being very sensitive and time consuming to breed. There is now reasonable and perfectly palatable caviar available, although given the choice, the more discerning palate would always choose wild Caviar. Farmed caviar in common with wild caviar takes decades to develop as only mature sturgeon produce roe, consequently, high quality farmed caviar is in as short a supply position as wild caviar resulting in a continuation and growth of an international demand and supply imbalance and, for the foreseeable future, and ever increasing price.
Uniquely, the exclusive and sustainably produced Caviar Nacarii caviar jumps the chasm between wild and farmed caviars with even the most pernickety connoisseur acknowledging the very high quality and exceptional taste produced.
It also has the added advantage of having no impact on the wild Sturgeon population.
