The king and queen of luxury: Champagne and caviar. Is there anything more indulgent, outrageous, or delicious? This classic pairing has been enjoyed throughout history, but what technically is caviar? How do you enjoy it? Most importantly, what do you pair it with? In honor of National Caviar Day, we’re answering all of your questions and inviting you to our caviar & Champagne virtual tasting on Thursday, July 23rd at 3 pm Pacific/6 pm Eastern on Instagram LIVE.

What is Caviar? 

Quite simply, caviar is any salt-cured eggs from a sturgeon fish. Salt-cured eggs from a fish other than sturgeon are called roe. Originally acquired from fish in the wild, now the majority of sturgeon are farmed in primarily 13 countries for the express purpose of extracting caviar. 

A Brief History of Caviar

Caviar dates back to the time of Aristotle, but it’s the Russian Tsars that truly celebrated and glamorized caviar as a luxury good. In the late 1800s, caviar made its way to the United States and we quickly became the top exporter of caviar throughout the world, eventually trumping Caspian Sea production. In the 1960s, due to overfarming, American caviar supply tanked while demand continued to grow, thus driving up the price. Advances in efficiencies and responsibility have been made, yet it continues to be a laborious process that has left wild sturgeon nearly extinct. Today, China is the top exporter of caviar, most notably their Kaluga Queen caviar. 

Types of Caviar

Original Caspian Sea Three

Beluga

Beluga is the rarest and most expensive caviar. It is also illegal in the United States due to over-farming that has led to near extinction. 

Ossetra

Ossetra is one of the original Caspian Sea sturgeons and is the most popular of all caviars. Now, Ossetra is farmed throughout the world and can come in a variety of colors, affected by the seas of origin. 

Sevruga

Sevruga is the most readily available sturgeon, and therefore the most readily available and affordable caviar. It comes from the Acipenser stellatus sturgeon. 

Modern Day Additions and Alternatives 

Kaluga

Kaluga, from the freshwater Huso dauricus on the Amur River Basin in China, is the sustainable alternative to Beluga. Kaluga is extremely highly regarded, second only to the elusive Beluga. 

Salmon Roe

To clarify, caviar is never the orange color of salmon roe but it makes a tasty alternative. Distinctions amongst salmon roe are similar to caviar– they vary based on the type of salmon the eggs are extracted from. Coho, pink, chum, and sockeye roe, just to name a few, are harvested primarily in and around Canada, Alaska, and Japan. 

How to Serve Caviar

According to Russian tradition, caviar tins are placed on ice and served with a mother-of-pearl spoon. A small dollop of caviar is spooned onto the backside of one’s wrist, to be warmed by body heat, and then lapped straight from wrist to mouth where it should be savored. The final traditional step is a palate-cleansing with either low-dosage Champagne or premium vodka. 

Nowadays, caviar studded recipes have led to its rise in popularity. Dishes like caviar topped scallops, potato pancakes topped with crème fraîche and caviar, and caviar stuffed omelets all make caviar and roe more obtainable and regularly enjoyable. The most classic of all, the caviar topped blini originated in Russia in the 19th century and continues to be enjoyed and loved by all. 

Caviar and Champagne Pairings

Champagne and caviar go together like, well, Champagne and caviar! The pairing is classic – two items equally indulgent, equally luxurious, and equally delicious. We’d love for you to join us as we discuss pairing three of our Eric Philippe Champagnes with three different Osetra caviars from The Caviar Company of San Francisco. We’ll be going live on Instagram on Thursday, July 23rd at 3 pm Pacific/6 pm Eastern. Make sure to order your caviar and Champagne tasting kits today and follow @ericphilippeofficial and @thecaviarco ahead of time. We’ll see you there! 

Chances are, you’ve been at a party and experienced the oohs and ahhs, the gasp of anticipation, the cheers of success as someone bravely runs a sword over a bottle of  Champagne and expels the cork to heroically fill Champagne coupes with beautiful bubbles! Well, today is the day that we make you the hero of your next party. We’ve laid out everything you need to know about sabering Champagne.

Competition for the Origin Story 

There is no single origin story for sabering Champagne – rather a collection of stories centered around Napoleon and his army of horseback soldiers. Perhaps it was Napoleon himself or maybe it was his Hussars. Villagers might have been lobbing congratulatory bottles up to soldiers as they paraded victoriously out of town, or maybe soldiers swiped open bottles as they mourned the loss of fellow countrymen and tactical advancement toward the end of the war. Lest powerful Champagne houses be forgotten, they too lay claim to the first sabering. There are origin stories involving Charles-Henri Heidsieck’s march to Russia with order book in-hand and Veuve Clicquot’s entertaining of, and courtship by, soldiers. Despite which story you chose to believe, sabering a bottle of Champagne is impressive, and if done correctly, an efficient way to release the true magic that lies within the bottle. 

Where to Start

Proper preparation is essential in order to effectively saber a bottle of Champagne. The adage “by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” has never rung more true. First and foremost, we must implore you to be careful. Up to 90 pounds of pressure per square inch is abruptly expelled from a glass bottle, resulting in corks flying at up to 55 miles per hour. This can go wrong, so please be careful and always keep the bottle pointing away from yourself and others. With that said, the essential key to successful Champagne sabrage is a cold bottle. Well before you want to wow your guests, put your bottle, neck down, in an ice bucket. 10 minutes will suffice, but the longer the better. 

Step by Step Instructions

• Identify your implement of sabrage. There are sabers made specifically for sabering Champagne bottles, but you can also use a chef’s knife, a butter knife, or even a spoon. 
• Remove your Champagne bottle from the ice bucket and quickly pat it dry to remove any excess water. 
• Remove the foil and cage from the bottle, keeping your thumb on the cork to prevent any rogue misfires. 
• Locate the seam of the bottle. Position the seam upwards so that you can slide the saber along the seam. 
• Place the thumb of your non-dominant hand in the punt of the bottle. Rest the bottle in your palm, supported by your fingers. 
• In one fluid motion, quickly slide the saber along the seam of the bottle at a 45-degree angle. Like a golf swing, do not stop at the point of contact, instead follow through past the lip of the bottle. 
• Catch the escaping Champagne with a nearby flute or coupe. 
• Rejoice with cheers at a successful sabrage! 
• We kindly ask you to when possible, locate the dislodged cork and recycle it properly. 

What to Avoid

Not every sabrage is successful. Like anything, practice makes perfect. Remember, keep your thumb on the cork and never point a bottle of Champagne at yourself or toward others. Otherwise, this could be you. 

Be Your Own Hero

Any of our three Champagnes would be great choices for your next sabrage! Choose from our beautiful, low-dosage Multi-Vintage Brut, Brut Rosé, or 2012 Brut. Enjoy $10 shipping on all purchases over $150 through the end of June. Happy sabering!