Curiosities

The word caviar derives from “Khaviar” or “Caviar”, a term of Turkish origin used by the peoples of the Iranian shore of the Caspian Sea to designate sturgeon eggs. Since antiquity, caviar was eaten by fishermen as a highly nutritious and energizing food, so much so that in some traditions it was also regarded as a remedy with beneficial properties.

From the 17th century onwards, this extraordinary specialty of the Caspian Sea conquered the tables of the Russian aristocracy, becoming one of the delicacies most prized by the high society of the time. It was above all after the October Revolution, however, that caviar began to spread across the rest of Europe: many émigré Russian aristocrats took with them their passion for this exclusive product, transforming it from a mere gastronomic curiosity into an international symbol of luxury and refinement.

Until the 1950s, the world caviar trade remained almost entirely a Russian monopoly. Later, thanks to the privileged relations between the Iranian royal family and an American pilot named Finsun — very close to the Shah — Iranian caviar began to be exported to the United States as well, further spreading the fame of the fine sturgeon eggs of the Caspian Sea.

Following the Iranian Islamic Revolution, the commercial balance changed profoundly, opening the European and Japanese markets to Iranian caviar.

From that moment on, though rare and immensely precious, caviar became the protagonist of Europe’s most exclusive tables: gala luncheons, state receptions, coronations and aristocratic celebrations could not be considered complete without these refined sturgeon eggs, a true symbol of gastronomic excellence and absolute pleasure.

Caviar is far more than a delicacy: it is the most authentic expression of a perfect environment. To reach the very highest levels of quality, the sturgeon must live throughout its long existence in a microclimate that faithfully reproduces the conditions of its natural habitat.